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The Ingredients of Us
From debut author Jennifer Gold comes a delicious novel about the sweet and sour ingredients of life and love.
Elle, an accomplished baker, has a recipe for every event in her life. But when she discovers her husband’s infidelity, she doesn’t know what to make of it. Jam, maybe? Definitely jam.
Fed up with the stale crumbs of her marriage, Elle revisits past recipes and the events that inspired them. A recipe for scones reminds her of her father’s death, cinnamon rolls signify the problematic courtship with her husband, and a batch of chocolate cookies casts Elle in a less-than-flattering light. Looking back, Elle soon realizes that some ingredients were missing all along.
After confronting her husband, Elle indulges her sweet tooth in other ways, including a rebound that just leaves her more confused. As secrets from the past collide with the conflicts of the present, Elle struggles to manage her bakery business and maintain the relationships most important to her. In piecing her life back together, will Elle learn to take the bitter with the sweet?
293 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2019
733 people are currently reading
3050 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Gold
4 books377 followersJennifer Gold writes discussable book club fiction about love, second chances, and self-discovery. She’s the multi-award-winning author of The Ingredients of Us, Keep Me Afloat, and Halfway to You.
When she’s not writing, Jenni can be found traveling, enjoying the outdoors, or curled up with a book. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two cats.
To hear first about Jenni’s upcoming novels, receive bonus content and sneak peeks, and chat with Jenni directly, join her monthly newsletter. You can also connect with Jenni on Instagram @jennifergoldauthor.
Newsletter: https://www.jennifergoldauthor.com/ne...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifergol...
When she’s not writing, Jenni can be found traveling, enjoying the outdoors, or curled up with a book. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two cats.
To hear first about Jenni’s upcoming novels, receive bonus content and sneak peeks, and chat with Jenni directly, join her monthly newsletter. You can also connect with Jenni on Instagram @jennifergoldauthor.
Newsletter: https://www.jennifergoldauthor.com/ne...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifergol...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 272 reviews
May 16, 2021
What a wonderful debut novel by Jennifer Gold! The story caught my attention from the beginning and her writing flowed beautifully from page to page.
This is the story of Elle and Tom's marriage. Elle owns a bakery shop with her best friend. She has recently discovered her husband of almost nine years has been having an affair. The story is cleverly told through chapters of Before Elle found out and After Elle found out.
We slowly begin to learn about Elle's marriage throughout each of the chapters as well as her love of baking. She always associates certain recipes with certain events in her life. I thought it was brilliant how the baking and recipes were added into the story. I wrote some of them down while reading the book. I will make the Banana Bread first! What a great book to read in lockdown with all the yummy recipes provided!
I enjoyed reading about the evolution of Elle's marriage from good times to eventually not so good times. The ending leaves you with some hope and the belief of a promising new beginning.
I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for granting me access to this Advanced Reader Copy.
This is the story of Elle and Tom's marriage. Elle owns a bakery shop with her best friend. She has recently discovered her husband of almost nine years has been having an affair. The story is cleverly told through chapters of Before Elle found out and After Elle found out.
We slowly begin to learn about Elle's marriage throughout each of the chapters as well as her love of baking. She always associates certain recipes with certain events in her life. I thought it was brilliant how the baking and recipes were added into the story. I wrote some of them down while reading the book. I will make the Banana Bread first! What a great book to read in lockdown with all the yummy recipes provided!
I enjoyed reading about the evolution of Elle's marriage from good times to eventually not so good times. The ending leaves you with some hope and the belief of a promising new beginning.
I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for granting me access to this Advanced Reader Copy.
July 1, 2019
All the ingredients of a sweet read! 🧁 🧁 🧁 🧁
Elle is a well-known baker, and all her best memories are tied to food. We meet her as she finds out her husband is cheating, which understandably rocks her world.
Elle can look at a recipe for scones and connect it to a memory about her father’s death. She can bake cinnamon rolls and think of when she first dated her husband. Don’t we all tie some of the best, and most challenging, times of our lives to food? I know I certainly do. Food and music.
Told in a unique structure, before the infidelity and after, I found the storytelling supremely engaging. How will Elle come to terms with what has happened, and what will be the state of her marriage?
First off, I have to mention the yummy and interesting recipes included. I definitely want to make them all! The author has worked in a bakery before, and it shows.
Gold’s writing shines, with authentic emotion throughout. Elle is a complex and lovable main character, and it was intriguing watching her grow. Everything about the story felt genuine, and I enjoyed the themes of love and marriage, as well as true friendship.
My favorite thing was how Elle coped with all her emotions by baking and giving gifts to others. She was such a strong character!
Overall, I loved this book from start to finish, and I’m excited about Jennifer Gold’s next book!
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Elle is a well-known baker, and all her best memories are tied to food. We meet her as she finds out her husband is cheating, which understandably rocks her world.
Elle can look at a recipe for scones and connect it to a memory about her father’s death. She can bake cinnamon rolls and think of when she first dated her husband. Don’t we all tie some of the best, and most challenging, times of our lives to food? I know I certainly do. Food and music.
Told in a unique structure, before the infidelity and after, I found the storytelling supremely engaging. How will Elle come to terms with what has happened, and what will be the state of her marriage?
First off, I have to mention the yummy and interesting recipes included. I definitely want to make them all! The author has worked in a bakery before, and it shows.
Gold’s writing shines, with authentic emotion throughout. Elle is a complex and lovable main character, and it was intriguing watching her grow. Everything about the story felt genuine, and I enjoyed the themes of love and marriage, as well as true friendship.
My favorite thing was how Elle coped with all her emotions by baking and giving gifts to others. She was such a strong character!
Overall, I loved this book from start to finish, and I’m excited about Jennifer Gold’s next book!
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Read
May 21, 2019Dear Readers,
I am so thrilled to share my debut novel with you!
The idea for this book came out of my time as a baker. While I was in college, I worked part-time in a café making pastries, cookies, cakes—the whole nine. While the job was much less technical than what you might see on the Great British Baking Show, I came away from the experience with a zillion great recipes, better home-baking techniques, and most importantly, the inspiration for “The Ingredients of Us.”
One of the most profound things I learned during my baking days was a recipe’s ability to remind us of togetherness. For instance, sticky buns remind me of Christmastime visits with my grandmother. Crème brulee reminds me of my husband (we always get it on our anniversary). A certain chocolate chip cookie recipe reminds me of the many afternoons my mother and I made it together (the page is so worn and sticky with chocolate we can barely read the page anymore…good thing we have it memorized). So many important moments in our lives are tied to food—I know this not just from personal experience, but from the patrons of the café where I worked, and from early readers of my book.
“The Ingredients of Us” is based on this phenomenon. Of course, it’s about so much more than just baking—love, marriage, friendship, career—but the recipes ground all the other events in Elle’s life. The recipes bring her clarity.
I should note: the book comes with actual recipes that you can bake straight from the page! Cinnamon rolls, pie, chocolate cake…my stomach grumbled every time I sat down to write. My hope is that your stomach grumbles a little, too, and maybe you’ll go bake something delicious and mood-lifting (after you finish the chapter, of course!).
Do you have recipes of your own that remind you of someone? I’d love to know! I feature recipes in my monthly newsletter and maybe I could feature one of yours someday, too.
In the meantime, happy reading.
Stay sweet,
- Jenni
I am so thrilled to share my debut novel with you!
The idea for this book came out of my time as a baker. While I was in college, I worked part-time in a café making pastries, cookies, cakes—the whole nine. While the job was much less technical than what you might see on the Great British Baking Show, I came away from the experience with a zillion great recipes, better home-baking techniques, and most importantly, the inspiration for “The Ingredients of Us.”
One of the most profound things I learned during my baking days was a recipe’s ability to remind us of togetherness. For instance, sticky buns remind me of Christmastime visits with my grandmother. Crème brulee reminds me of my husband (we always get it on our anniversary). A certain chocolate chip cookie recipe reminds me of the many afternoons my mother and I made it together (the page is so worn and sticky with chocolate we can barely read the page anymore…good thing we have it memorized). So many important moments in our lives are tied to food—I know this not just from personal experience, but from the patrons of the café where I worked, and from early readers of my book.
“The Ingredients of Us” is based on this phenomenon. Of course, it’s about so much more than just baking—love, marriage, friendship, career—but the recipes ground all the other events in Elle’s life. The recipes bring her clarity.
I should note: the book comes with actual recipes that you can bake straight from the page! Cinnamon rolls, pie, chocolate cake…my stomach grumbled every time I sat down to write. My hope is that your stomach grumbles a little, too, and maybe you’ll go bake something delicious and mood-lifting (after you finish the chapter, of course!).
Do you have recipes of your own that remind you of someone? I’d love to know! I feature recipes in my monthly newsletter and maybe I could feature one of yours someday, too.
In the meantime, happy reading.
Stay sweet,
- Jenni
July 19, 2019
2.5 stars
If you enjoy novels centred around daily life where the plot is relatively 'normal' and doesn't really go anywhere aside from exploring a specific topic or event, check this one out. I know that description may not make this story sound appealing but I do know that there are readers out there that enjoy novels based on everyday life. I would consider this novel a 'slice of life' story where it explores an event, what lead up to that event, and the aftermath of that event.
Personally, at this point in my life, it was not the story for me. Who knows, maybe down the road with different life experiences having occurred, I may have enjoyed this story more.
The basis of this story is surrounding a topic that does frequently occur in the daily life of many (unfortunately) so I can see how this story could be relatable. As well, the novel shows how one decision may not be the 'right' decision for all and that there can be a different outcome for different relationships.
The writing was well done and I think for some, this story could be therapeutic if they had a similar situation occur. Or....it could potentially make a reader mad if they went through a similar situation. I'm not sure. Put simply, it was just not the story for me.
One word of caution is not to go into this novel based on the cover (I know, I know but I still had to say it). This novel is not a light and fluffy story as they cover suggests.
***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
If you enjoy novels centred around daily life where the plot is relatively 'normal' and doesn't really go anywhere aside from exploring a specific topic or event, check this one out. I know that description may not make this story sound appealing but I do know that there are readers out there that enjoy novels based on everyday life. I would consider this novel a 'slice of life' story where it explores an event, what lead up to that event, and the aftermath of that event.
Personally, at this point in my life, it was not the story for me. Who knows, maybe down the road with different life experiences having occurred, I may have enjoyed this story more.
The basis of this story is surrounding a topic that does frequently occur in the daily life of many (unfortunately) so I can see how this story could be relatable. As well, the novel shows how one decision may not be the 'right' decision for all and that there can be a different outcome for different relationships.
The writing was well done and I think for some, this story could be therapeutic if they had a similar situation occur. Or....it could potentially make a reader mad if they went through a similar situation. I'm not sure. Put simply, it was just not the story for me.
One word of caution is not to go into this novel based on the cover (I know, I know but I still had to say it). This novel is not a light and fluffy story as they cover suggests.
***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
July 27, 2019
That cover is delish!
The Ingredients of Us is a savory novel about infidelity, insecurities and being yourself. With an added bonus, recipes are sprinkled throughout the book which mirror events or emotions in Elle’s life. The timeline might be bothersome as it skips from present to past. For example, some of the chapters are labeled: Four months before Elle found out, Over six years before Elle found out, Over six weeks after Elle found out, etc. The characters aren’t always likable but this is a promising debut from author, Jennifer Gold. I look forward to her sophomore book. 3.5★s!
The Ingredients of Us is a savory novel about infidelity, insecurities and being yourself. With an added bonus, recipes are sprinkled throughout the book which mirror events or emotions in Elle’s life. The timeline might be bothersome as it skips from present to past. For example, some of the chapters are labeled: Four months before Elle found out, Over six years before Elle found out, Over six weeks after Elle found out, etc. The characters aren’t always likable but this is a promising debut from author, Jennifer Gold. I look forward to her sophomore book. 3.5★s!
July 1, 2019
I think we’ve all read books where a woman discovers her husband has been unfaithful but Gold was able to put her own spin on the premise with this one. This jumps from the time period after Elle discovers his betrayal to when they first met and also the years in between. The chapters are fairly short and it does jump around time wise quite a bit, but it was very easy to follow and keep up as every chapter was clearly labeled. It was fascinating to see how their relationship had changed and evolved, both for the good and the bad over the years and by the end I felt like I had a really strong sense of who Elle was and what she believed in.
I am such a sucker for any book that incorporates food into the story and Gold infused food in such a unique and fun way with this one. Elle is a baker and each of her beloved recipes reminds her of an event in her past, some incredibly happy times, but also some not so good times. No matter what, baking has been a huge part of not only her life, but who she is as a person and when she finds out her husband cheated on her she obviously turns to her comfort; baking. What was clever that instead of just having Elle bake these items she included the actual recipes as well! These also weren’t your run of the mill basic recipes either, they were full of fun little sidebars and tidbits that let Elle’s personality shine through and they also made me incredibly hungry, I’ll absolutely be trying some of these out myself.
This was a strong debut and felt like something new and fresh, it also had an ending that I wasn’t expecting and was just a really well written and well executed read. If you like foodie fiction definitely check this one out!
The Ingredients of Us in three words: Delectable, Fresh and Emotional
I am such a sucker for any book that incorporates food into the story and Gold infused food in such a unique and fun way with this one. Elle is a baker and each of her beloved recipes reminds her of an event in her past, some incredibly happy times, but also some not so good times. No matter what, baking has been a huge part of not only her life, but who she is as a person and when she finds out her husband cheated on her she obviously turns to her comfort; baking. What was clever that instead of just having Elle bake these items she included the actual recipes as well! These also weren’t your run of the mill basic recipes either, they were full of fun little sidebars and tidbits that let Elle’s personality shine through and they also made me incredibly hungry, I’ll absolutely be trying some of these out myself.
This was a strong debut and felt like something new and fresh, it also had an ending that I wasn’t expecting and was just a really well written and well executed read. If you like foodie fiction definitely check this one out!
The Ingredients of Us in three words: Delectable, Fresh and Emotional
June 18, 2019
one star is two stars too many for this book.
if you found out your partner of many years was cheating on you, would you simply hypothesise inside your own mind why they did it and never actually ask them any details?
absolutely flabbergasted by the character of tom, breaking up his first marriage because he wanted babies to breaking up his second marriage AND CHEATING because he wanted babies, congratulations on successfully writing a bad character
my review from my book group of two people:
WHY DOESN'T SHE JUST ASK HIM WHY HE CHEATED AND OTHER QUESTIONS instead of thinking i bet she's hotter and better than me CONSTANTLY, oh no, sorry i dropped this cake that i for some bizarre reason made for you in our divorce meeting with our lawyers, oopsie, my bad, i'm the terrible one for pursuing my career over wanting to have babies
if you found out your partner of many years was cheating on you, would you simply hypothesise inside your own mind why they did it and never actually ask them any details?
absolutely flabbergasted by the character of tom, breaking up his first marriage because he wanted babies to breaking up his second marriage AND CHEATING because he wanted babies, congratulations on successfully writing a bad character
my review from my book group of two people:
WHY DOESN'T SHE JUST ASK HIM WHY HE CHEATED AND OTHER QUESTIONS instead of thinking i bet she's hotter and better than me CONSTANTLY, oh no, sorry i dropped this cake that i for some bizarre reason made for you in our divorce meeting with our lawyers, oopsie, my bad, i'm the terrible one for pursuing my career over wanting to have babies
June 29, 2019
Linda's Book Obsession Reviews 'The Ingredients of Us" by Jennifer Gold, Lake Union Publishing, July 1, 2019
Jennifer Gold, Author of "The Ingredients of Us" has written a delicious, delightful, entertaining, and emotional novel. In addition to the novel are the most amazing recipes for desserts of all kinds. The Genres for this novel are Domestic Fiction, Women's Fiction, and Fiction. The timeline of the story is in the present and goes back nine years when it pertains to the characters or events in the story. The author describes her characters as flawed, complex and complicated.
Ellie is a successful partner in a bakery and can figure out almost any recipe and what ingredients can be used to make it foolproof. Ellie lovingly mixes her ingredients and makes and bakes the most wonderful creations. Ellie can bake almost anything to go with any situation. She is stumped when she accidentally finds out her husband Tom has been cheating. Clearly, Ellie doesn't have a recipe that will be an easy fix for her heartbreak.
Ellie does look back to see what clues or ingredients have been missing from the relationship. I love that the author actually has the most tantalizing recipes for the reader. I also appreciate that Jennifer Gold discusses the importance of family, friends, emotional support, and communication. If something happens to a special dessert, it can be made again sometimes, under the proper circumstances.
This is an emotional and entertaining story that I would highly recommend, Just be sure to have some Kleenex handy.
Jennifer Gold, Author of "The Ingredients of Us" has written a delicious, delightful, entertaining, and emotional novel. In addition to the novel are the most amazing recipes for desserts of all kinds. The Genres for this novel are Domestic Fiction, Women's Fiction, and Fiction. The timeline of the story is in the present and goes back nine years when it pertains to the characters or events in the story. The author describes her characters as flawed, complex and complicated.
Ellie is a successful partner in a bakery and can figure out almost any recipe and what ingredients can be used to make it foolproof. Ellie lovingly mixes her ingredients and makes and bakes the most wonderful creations. Ellie can bake almost anything to go with any situation. She is stumped when she accidentally finds out her husband Tom has been cheating. Clearly, Ellie doesn't have a recipe that will be an easy fix for her heartbreak.
Ellie does look back to see what clues or ingredients have been missing from the relationship. I love that the author actually has the most tantalizing recipes for the reader. I also appreciate that Jennifer Gold discusses the importance of family, friends, emotional support, and communication. If something happens to a special dessert, it can be made again sometimes, under the proper circumstances.
This is an emotional and entertaining story that I would highly recommend, Just be sure to have some Kleenex handy.
June 11, 2019
I never really settled in to this book. Some of the publishing house decisions don't actually help the reader. I understand that the recipes are supposed to be extracts from Elle's binder but the handwriting font chosen is not the best to read on an eReader; there are clearer handwriting fonts out there that would have worked better from a reader's perspective. Whilst it may be a lovely font on printed media it really didn't translate well to a digital format.
To be honest the recipes were just one of a litany of things that irked me about the book. For someone who is supposed to make baking her profession the first thing you learn is that any form of baking is a science so measurements matter. All this a handful or a sprinkling as measures just doesn't cut it and really annoyed me. I have read a lot of books with a fascination for baking held by one the characters and they detail recipes that actually work if you wanted to try them. I fear that if you tried any of these (except for the box pancake mix one) then you would end up with an inedible lump.
Then we have the time lapse formatting of the story. It really does leap about at random. One minute it is "6 days after finding out", then "nine years before finding out", then "2 days after finding out", then "3 weeks after finding out" - I'm sure you get the idea. You really, really have to pay attention to the chapter heading or else it is very, very easy to get lost in the time frames of the story. This is a real shame as I feel it would have actually worked better if we had alternated the romance between Elle and Tom from it's starting point and the present day problems on a more natural timeline. It doesn't build tension for the reader as the historical timeline builds to tell us about their initial meeting, it builds frustration as you are never quite sure where and when things took place.
Then we come to the characterisations. Tom does not have a character, he is just cheating husband. Even when Elle finally gets her confrontation with him we never really get to hear Tom's side of things. Now, bear in mind here that Elle runs a bakery. She starts at silly o'clock in the morning and stays at the store until it closes at 6pm and then usually gets some bakes ready for the next day. This woman is home maybe for 6 - 8 hours a night and you can bet most of that is spent sleeping; so I wonder why Tom strayed - any chance he felt abandoned? Any chance he was after companionship? Any chance he just wanted to feel like he mattered to someone? Couple this with his desire for Children and Elle's refusal to be honest about the issue (her biological clock is not ticking at all) then you can clearly see they aren't communicating. I am not condoning having an affair but I can genuinely see why Tom might have looked elsewhere - wouldn't you if you genuinely felt unseen by your partner? This could have been explored but isn't even really touched on, Tom's loneliness is paid lipservice to when he tries to get a word in but he has been tried and found heinously guilty without being allowed to give a defence.
Elle herself is a strange combination of completely insecure and completely up herself. The whole thing with her friend Bonnie's husband is ludicrous. Seriously, he hit on you once, in a bar, when he had just started casually dating Bonnie and suddenly he has this big passion for you. Honestly, get over yourself woman.
Can you tell I didn't really enjoy this book?
Unpleasant characters, recipes that just wouldn't work in real life and a bizarre timeline decision means it is too much work to read for too little reward. I did manage to read it all and there are some good ideas in here and some splotches of good writing with an understanding of the human animal but it needed much more refining and better editorial decisions - the blame cannot be laid solely on the author, a good editor is vital and sometimes they need to be brutal for the sake of the story and I fear this editor let the author and the reader down.
To be honest the recipes were just one of a litany of things that irked me about the book. For someone who is supposed to make baking her profession the first thing you learn is that any form of baking is a science so measurements matter. All this a handful or a sprinkling as measures just doesn't cut it and really annoyed me. I have read a lot of books with a fascination for baking held by one the characters and they detail recipes that actually work if you wanted to try them. I fear that if you tried any of these (except for the box pancake mix one) then you would end up with an inedible lump.
Then we have the time lapse formatting of the story. It really does leap about at random. One minute it is "6 days after finding out", then "nine years before finding out", then "2 days after finding out", then "3 weeks after finding out" - I'm sure you get the idea. You really, really have to pay attention to the chapter heading or else it is very, very easy to get lost in the time frames of the story. This is a real shame as I feel it would have actually worked better if we had alternated the romance between Elle and Tom from it's starting point and the present day problems on a more natural timeline. It doesn't build tension for the reader as the historical timeline builds to tell us about their initial meeting, it builds frustration as you are never quite sure where and when things took place.
Then we come to the characterisations. Tom does not have a character, he is just cheating husband. Even when Elle finally gets her confrontation with him we never really get to hear Tom's side of things. Now, bear in mind here that Elle runs a bakery. She starts at silly o'clock in the morning and stays at the store until it closes at 6pm and then usually gets some bakes ready for the next day. This woman is home maybe for 6 - 8 hours a night and you can bet most of that is spent sleeping; so I wonder why Tom strayed - any chance he felt abandoned? Any chance he was after companionship? Any chance he just wanted to feel like he mattered to someone? Couple this with his desire for Children and Elle's refusal to be honest about the issue (her biological clock is not ticking at all) then you can clearly see they aren't communicating. I am not condoning having an affair but I can genuinely see why Tom might have looked elsewhere - wouldn't you if you genuinely felt unseen by your partner? This could have been explored but isn't even really touched on, Tom's loneliness is paid lipservice to when he tries to get a word in but he has been tried and found heinously guilty without being allowed to give a defence.
Elle herself is a strange combination of completely insecure and completely up herself. The whole thing with her friend Bonnie's husband is ludicrous. Seriously, he hit on you once, in a bar, when he had just started casually dating Bonnie and suddenly he has this big passion for you. Honestly, get over yourself woman.
Can you tell I didn't really enjoy this book?
Unpleasant characters, recipes that just wouldn't work in real life and a bizarre timeline decision means it is too much work to read for too little reward. I did manage to read it all and there are some good ideas in here and some splotches of good writing with an understanding of the human animal but it needed much more refining and better editorial decisions - the blame cannot be laid solely on the author, a good editor is vital and sometimes they need to be brutal for the sake of the story and I fear this editor let the author and the reader down.
July 24, 2019
Review to follow.
February 17, 2019
Read or bake ?!
That was my dilemma in reading this yummy book !
The story of Elle and Tom and their marriage is told as before and after ! These were well written characters a surrounded by these delicious recipes !
A great book by this author who will forever be on my TBR list.
That was my dilemma in reading this yummy book !
The story of Elle and Tom and their marriage is told as before and after ! These were well written characters a surrounded by these delicious recipes !
A great book by this author who will forever be on my TBR list.
June 24, 2019
"Here's something life doesn't give you: a recipe. You have to make it up as you go along, adjusting accordingly."
This is a story about a married couple, Elle and Tom, and their minced up marriage. The alternating time line this story is written in takes the reader back and forth from the present date and their struggles to the past in which the couple meets and events in between. There are tantalizing and life meaning recipes mixed into the story that relate to the current status of the relationship. It all blends well and brings the story together as the "ingredients" are added. Sometimes a recipe is a success and sometimes it's not. Sometimes the "ingredients" are sweet and tasty. Other times they are sour and unsavory. That's what life is. It's not always a "bowl of cherries" nor is it always a "burned cookie". A recipe comes together because all the ingredients blend well and it takes all of them to make a perfect product. That's what the challenge is for Elle and Tom. "Each knead like an argument, each release a kiss, until something has been made out of practically nothing, a string of separate ingredients mixed together like a courtship until they make one whole, grown stronger by each trial, each compression under two palms."
This story made me feel the struggles of a bad situation caused by Tom. But then, how culpable is Elle in the condition of their marriage? I kept hoping for the best. There are so many feelings that Elle goes through. From questioning her worth to anger to self doubt. She takes those feelings and channels them into the delectable recipes that are scattered along the way. They made me hungry for her to be happy and I wanted to have some of those treats to try myself! It was a unique and interesting structure to this book. I enjoyed the recipes and the little tidbits and hints on how to get emotions and feelings released as the recipe is prepared.
"Imagine your husband cheated on you; what do you bake? Pies are too cheerful, cookies to festive, chocolate mousse to sensual-you probably decide on jam. Something to pulverize."
Ms. Gold wrote a combination recipe book and a fiction book that came together very well. She uses such great culinary descriptions that entices hunger to know what happens to Elle's and Tom's relationship and kept me turning the pages. This passage is indicative of such descriptions:
"Trace your finger along the inside of your mixing bowl; savor the way the frosting melts into nothing on your tongue, leaving behind only the memory of its presence, like a beautiful woman leaving a room."
This is a great debut book by this author and I do look forward to reading more of her work.
I want to thank Netgalley, Lake Union and Ms. Gold for the opportunity to read this unique book.
This is a story about a married couple, Elle and Tom, and their minced up marriage. The alternating time line this story is written in takes the reader back and forth from the present date and their struggles to the past in which the couple meets and events in between. There are tantalizing and life meaning recipes mixed into the story that relate to the current status of the relationship. It all blends well and brings the story together as the "ingredients" are added. Sometimes a recipe is a success and sometimes it's not. Sometimes the "ingredients" are sweet and tasty. Other times they are sour and unsavory. That's what life is. It's not always a "bowl of cherries" nor is it always a "burned cookie". A recipe comes together because all the ingredients blend well and it takes all of them to make a perfect product. That's what the challenge is for Elle and Tom. "Each knead like an argument, each release a kiss, until something has been made out of practically nothing, a string of separate ingredients mixed together like a courtship until they make one whole, grown stronger by each trial, each compression under two palms."
This story made me feel the struggles of a bad situation caused by Tom. But then, how culpable is Elle in the condition of their marriage? I kept hoping for the best. There are so many feelings that Elle goes through. From questioning her worth to anger to self doubt. She takes those feelings and channels them into the delectable recipes that are scattered along the way. They made me hungry for her to be happy and I wanted to have some of those treats to try myself! It was a unique and interesting structure to this book. I enjoyed the recipes and the little tidbits and hints on how to get emotions and feelings released as the recipe is prepared.
"Imagine your husband cheated on you; what do you bake? Pies are too cheerful, cookies to festive, chocolate mousse to sensual-you probably decide on jam. Something to pulverize."
Ms. Gold wrote a combination recipe book and a fiction book that came together very well. She uses such great culinary descriptions that entices hunger to know what happens to Elle's and Tom's relationship and kept me turning the pages. This passage is indicative of such descriptions:
"Trace your finger along the inside of your mixing bowl; savor the way the frosting melts into nothing on your tongue, leaving behind only the memory of its presence, like a beautiful woman leaving a room."
This is a great debut book by this author and I do look forward to reading more of her work.
I want to thank Netgalley, Lake Union and Ms. Gold for the opportunity to read this unique book.
February 3, 2019
The story of Elle and Tom, their marriage and lives before and after their marriage pulled me in right away and made me want to know more about them. I eagerly read chapter after chapter of their lives, before Elle knew, after Elle knew and way before she knew.
Her steadfast friend, employee and co-owner Bonnie and her husband Charlie were just as important to the story and easily as likable as Elle and Tom. I loved this story and waited impatiently, wondering how things would turn out.
Did I say I waited impatiently? Well, true, but when I wasn't waiting, I was longing to have a friend that was a baker who would make me all of the delicious sounding recipes in this book! My baker friend never showed up though and I think this author should supply one because damn, these recipes? AMAZING.
The entire book is wrapped up in wonderfully descriptive prose interspersed with those drool-worthy recipes and soon I found myself wanting to know more about Elle and Tom, but wait! Then I wanted more recipes to sigh over. Gosh dang it! Talk about a conundrum. Finish the book or bake? I'm not a baker so I opted to finish without the deliciously enticing treats described within, but I am having cheesecake today, sort of as a consolation prize.
I greatly appreciate having been approved for an ARC at my request. Thanks to the author, Ms. Gold, the publisher Lake Union and Netgalley. My thoughts in this hungry-making review are my own, but suffice it to say that I will be lining up for Ms. Gold's next book and I have already pre-purchased this book as a gift for a friend who loves to bake.
Her steadfast friend, employee and co-owner Bonnie and her husband Charlie were just as important to the story and easily as likable as Elle and Tom. I loved this story and waited impatiently, wondering how things would turn out.
Did I say I waited impatiently? Well, true, but when I wasn't waiting, I was longing to have a friend that was a baker who would make me all of the delicious sounding recipes in this book! My baker friend never showed up though and I think this author should supply one because damn, these recipes? AMAZING.
The entire book is wrapped up in wonderfully descriptive prose interspersed with those drool-worthy recipes and soon I found myself wanting to know more about Elle and Tom, but wait! Then I wanted more recipes to sigh over. Gosh dang it! Talk about a conundrum. Finish the book or bake? I'm not a baker so I opted to finish without the deliciously enticing treats described within, but I am having cheesecake today, sort of as a consolation prize.
I greatly appreciate having been approved for an ARC at my request. Thanks to the author, Ms. Gold, the publisher Lake Union and Netgalley. My thoughts in this hungry-making review are my own, but suffice it to say that I will be lining up for Ms. Gold's next book and I have already pre-purchased this book as a gift for a friend who loves to bake.
October 1, 2019
Elle owns a successful bakery, but her marriage is on the rocks after she discovers husband, Tom, has been cheating on her. The story alternates between before and after the affair so that the reader gets a taste of how Elle and Tom met and what their relationship was like before the split. Will they be able to reconcile? Just like a recipe, how will their lives need to be adjusted so they can both achieve the desired results?
"Here's something life doesn't give you: a recipe. You have to make it up as you go along, adjusting accordingly."
First of all, this cover, you guys! It makes me want to eat CAKE. Secondly, the whimsical, fun writing drew me in from the very first pages. I am always a sucker for food references in books, and the numerous food metaphors and similes made me happy. Take this one for instance:
"As if you yourself were a lemon, let your bitterness pour into this recipe--the more the better. In this case, life's lemons yield sweet lemon curd."
Third, the way the author described grief as sometimes hitting out of nowhere was absolutely SPOT ON. Overall, this was a very sweet, promising debut, and it makes my mouth water for more by this author!
"There's satisfaction in knowing someone so well... Like a recipe by heart... So familiar that it feels a part of her ... Each knead like an argument, each release a kiss, until something has been made out of practically nothing, a string of separate of ingredients mixed together like a courtship until they make a whole, grown stronger by each trial."
3.5 stars
Location: Seattle, Washington
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
"Here's something life doesn't give you: a recipe. You have to make it up as you go along, adjusting accordingly."
First of all, this cover, you guys! It makes me want to eat CAKE. Secondly, the whimsical, fun writing drew me in from the very first pages. I am always a sucker for food references in books, and the numerous food metaphors and similes made me happy. Take this one for instance:
"As if you yourself were a lemon, let your bitterness pour into this recipe--the more the better. In this case, life's lemons yield sweet lemon curd."
Third, the way the author described grief as sometimes hitting out of nowhere was absolutely SPOT ON. Overall, this was a very sweet, promising debut, and it makes my mouth water for more by this author!
"There's satisfaction in knowing someone so well... Like a recipe by heart... So familiar that it feels a part of her ... Each knead like an argument, each release a kiss, until something has been made out of practically nothing, a string of separate of ingredients mixed together like a courtship until they make a whole, grown stronger by each trial."
3.5 stars
Location: Seattle, Washington
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
July 13, 2023
Well written, clever but by the end, left me antsy.
The interspersing of baking and recipes also wore me out.
I think both the mcs made some poor choices.
They had great potential as a couple but in the end let themselves and each other down.
Both deserved better.
The interspersing of baking and recipes also wore me out.
I think both the mcs made some poor choices.
They had great potential as a couple but in the end let themselves and each other down.
Both deserved better.
February 6, 2019
The Ingredients of Us
Jennifer Gold
This impressive debut novel by Jennifer Gold blends together exquisite writing with a delectable plot. The insightful and honest character development is complimented by the luscious descriptions of her bakery delights. The author brilliantly interconnects Elle’s baking with her current emotions, aptly displayed when she channels her bitterness into a sweet lemon tart. All in all, a truly satisfying read.
Andrea Hurst
Author of The Guestbook
Jennifer Gold
This impressive debut novel by Jennifer Gold blends together exquisite writing with a delectable plot. The insightful and honest character development is complimented by the luscious descriptions of her bakery delights. The author brilliantly interconnects Elle’s baking with her current emotions, aptly displayed when she channels her bitterness into a sweet lemon tart. All in all, a truly satisfying read.
Andrea Hurst
Author of The Guestbook
July 7, 2019
This book started out making me cry and I pretty much cried all the way through. As much as I truly hate cheating in a marriage I started feeling bad for Tom. I felt super bad for Elle, but I just felt like Tom got lost. There were things he wanted so bad yet could never seem to have. Family being one and the most important one for him. Elle loves Tom even more than baking. He’s the love of her life and always will be. He told a few lies along the way but I still felt for him. My heart broke for this couple actually. The recipes do sound so very good and I may even try a few of them as I love baking. But spending all of your time working can ruin a marriage in many ways. Not that I put this on Elle by any means. They both had troubles. They both were hurting in ways that only reading this book will explain so you understand.
This is the first book by this author and it gives me strong hope for even more. I was hooked from the very first. The love story and the way it jumped around made it perfect. The way she incorporated recipes to explain some things was perfect. Even the saddest parts were done to perfection.
The characters are perfect. The settings are perfect. It’s just an all around wonderful and heartbreaking story of true love. Love lost. Recipes that will make your mouth water and your tummy growl. I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down even with company from Mexico here.
Thank you so much #NetGalley and #Lake Union Publishers for this sweet story of heartache and love.
I had to give it 5 stars. I highly recommend this one.
This is the first book by this author and it gives me strong hope for even more. I was hooked from the very first. The love story and the way it jumped around made it perfect. The way she incorporated recipes to explain some things was perfect. Even the saddest parts were done to perfection.
The characters are perfect. The settings are perfect. It’s just an all around wonderful and heartbreaking story of true love. Love lost. Recipes that will make your mouth water and your tummy growl. I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down even with company from Mexico here.
Thank you so much #NetGalley and #Lake Union Publishers for this sweet story of heartache and love.
I had to give it 5 stars. I highly recommend this one.
June 22, 2020
Beautiful writing and a very interesting structure. I really appreciated the way the story unfolded; very engaging.
October 21, 2019
Check out my blog at www.readingreckless.wordpress.com for more reviews and bookish content.
I thought that this title was going to be an empowering, “How Stella got her groove back” but with pastries. Which is an awesome premise and made me want to put on my "napron". However, that’s not what this was. Instead it was a dual timeline tale about the good times and how both people in a marriage can tear it asunder. The reason I thought it was going to be an empowering tale about healing after heartbreak was because in the first chapter, we learn that Tom cheats on her. I assume because of her store he feels invisible, however he doesn't communicate that with her.
As for the writing, it was great but the placing of chapters and recipes leaves a lot to be desired. The flashbacks we are given are not at all in the right places, because we are given the introduction of when they first met somewhere in the middle of the book. It would have been more effective to have to happen side by side and meet in the middle. For instance, when she first finds out, versus when they first met. I found myself skipping a lot of the past chapters because they had no pertinence in the story. It should have been written so the reader could try to figure out what went wrong for themselves.
Tom is just a “good guy gone bad”; there isn’t any character development for him. We aren’t introduced to his family, we don’t even really know what he does for work. It’s very easy to typecast him as a man who strayed and we aren't given a reason until the end of the book. If someone is resigned enough to cheat, it doesn’t make much sense for him to have a blow up when he sees a man in front of his house with his wife. That interaction seems to be added to ratchet up the drama.
Elle is, well she’s selfish. Charlie, Bonnie’s husband makes a move on her when he and Bonnie are just starting to date and she holds onto that information and projects that onto every interaction that she and Charlie have for NINE YEARS. She’s not a likable character and she seems to think that life is just happening to her. It is through her inaction that she is going home with people and avoiding her husband. Even her divorce is not something she takes control of. Essentially she is a pushover and weak and insecure. I couldn't identify with her.
All in all, this was a 2 star read for me. I would give it a 1 star but the writing was solid. It was a good effort for a debut novel.
Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for the free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
I thought that this title was going to be an empowering, “How Stella got her groove back” but with pastries. Which is an awesome premise and made me want to put on my "napron". However, that’s not what this was. Instead it was a dual timeline tale about the good times and how both people in a marriage can tear it asunder. The reason I thought it was going to be an empowering tale about healing after heartbreak was because in the first chapter, we learn that Tom cheats on her. I assume because of her store he feels invisible, however he doesn't communicate that with her.
As for the writing, it was great but the placing of chapters and recipes leaves a lot to be desired. The flashbacks we are given are not at all in the right places, because we are given the introduction of when they first met somewhere in the middle of the book. It would have been more effective to have to happen side by side and meet in the middle. For instance, when she first finds out, versus when they first met. I found myself skipping a lot of the past chapters because they had no pertinence in the story. It should have been written so the reader could try to figure out what went wrong for themselves.
Tom is just a “good guy gone bad”; there isn’t any character development for him. We aren’t introduced to his family, we don’t even really know what he does for work. It’s very easy to typecast him as a man who strayed and we aren't given a reason until the end of the book. If someone is resigned enough to cheat, it doesn’t make much sense for him to have a blow up when he sees a man in front of his house with his wife. That interaction seems to be added to ratchet up the drama.
Elle is, well she’s selfish. Charlie, Bonnie’s husband makes a move on her when he and Bonnie are just starting to date and she holds onto that information and projects that onto every interaction that she and Charlie have for NINE YEARS. She’s not a likable character and she seems to think that life is just happening to her. It is through her inaction that she is going home with people and avoiding her husband. Even her divorce is not something she takes control of. Essentially she is a pushover and weak and insecure. I couldn't identify with her.
All in all, this was a 2 star read for me. I would give it a 1 star but the writing was solid. It was a good effort for a debut novel.
Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for the free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2019
The Ingredients of Us is a promising debut from Lake Union author, Jennifer Gold. The cover alone is gorgeous. The characters are well developed and while leading lady Elle is a wee bit neurotic, I think that if any of us were put in her position, we may be too. I mean, don’t judge until you walk a mile right?
Told in a dual timeline, the book follows the couple as they meet and as they go through some hella troubles. Elle is a baker and following a recipe is her therapy. She has a recipe for everything and they are intertwined throughout the book, not just as a simple recipe, but like a friend walking you through it. It's like she’s there telling you how to do it with some friendly chitchat.
I have to say my favorite character is Bonnie, Elle’s bakery partner, and BFF. She’s no bullshit with a heart of gold. I think we could all use a supportive friend like her.
The Ingredients of Us is a book about baking. About relationships. About how to deal. A stellar start from Gold. 3.5 stars. Warning- don’t read when hungry. Advice- just have the cookies/cake/snacks ready. You'll thank me later.
I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Told in a dual timeline, the book follows the couple as they meet and as they go through some hella troubles. Elle is a baker and following a recipe is her therapy. She has a recipe for everything and they are intertwined throughout the book, not just as a simple recipe, but like a friend walking you through it. It's like she’s there telling you how to do it with some friendly chitchat.
I have to say my favorite character is Bonnie, Elle’s bakery partner, and BFF. She’s no bullshit with a heart of gold. I think we could all use a supportive friend like her.
The Ingredients of Us is a book about baking. About relationships. About how to deal. A stellar start from Gold. 3.5 stars. Warning- don’t read when hungry. Advice- just have the cookies/cake/snacks ready. You'll thank me later.
I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
July 6, 2019
🎂🎂🎂🎂🍰 (4.5)
A delicious debut novel from Jennifer Gold. Perfect summer read and when you are done, you will have a few yummy dessert recipes!
This book goes back and forth in time, effortlessly from Elle and Tom’s courtship till their present troubles. Anyone who has ever dealt with insecurities in your self or a relationship, will see yourself in Elle. Tom, is searching for something also.
The recipes described follow the storyline completely along with the references of food describing certain characters and feelings. Take the time to read them because they add so much to this story. Just when you think you know where the story is going, the author changes direction in subtle ways. Just as you bite into a new dessert, this book revels many surprises.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for this ARC, a sweet work of fiction. Opinion is mine alone. I look forward to reading this author again.
A delicious debut novel from Jennifer Gold. Perfect summer read and when you are done, you will have a few yummy dessert recipes!
This book goes back and forth in time, effortlessly from Elle and Tom’s courtship till their present troubles. Anyone who has ever dealt with insecurities in your self or a relationship, will see yourself in Elle. Tom, is searching for something also.
The recipes described follow the storyline completely along with the references of food describing certain characters and feelings. Take the time to read them because they add so much to this story. Just when you think you know where the story is going, the author changes direction in subtle ways. Just as you bite into a new dessert, this book revels many surprises.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for this ARC, a sweet work of fiction. Opinion is mine alone. I look forward to reading this author again.
July 1, 2019
I've written this review for Really Into This
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
The Ingredients of Us by Jennifer Gold is right up my alley. Basically. if there’s a fiction book that centers around baking, I’m down to read it. A tale of adultery that centers around baking & recipes interwoven into the couple’s life really speaks to me. Usually, books that involve baking are fairly upbeat & magical. As I read the synopsis for Gold’s debut, I’m intrigued. The premise is pretty serious.
RECIPES FROM THE HEART
Can we talk about this cover for a minute? I’m in love! Check out that layer cake! It looks so delicious. Luckily, Jennifer Gold includes many recipes in The Ingredients of Us. Almost effortlessly, she weaves the recipes in to be truly part of the narrative rather than including them as an afterthought. Each recipe feels as though it truly belongs in the story.
Truly, The Ingredients of Us by Jennifer Gold really works for me. Don’t let the super cute cover fool you. Gold gets deep real quick. She uses alternating timelines that work well for the narrative. Readers are able to get snippets of the relationship pre, post & during the discovery of adultery. Also, I have to say I love the ending. Easily Gold can take the easy way out & wrap everything up with a pretty bow. I’m happy to say, she doesn’t! Her ending has me thinking & wanting to discuss it with fellow readers.
THE VERDICT
I am Really Into This book!
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
The Ingredients of Us by Jennifer Gold is right up my alley. Basically. if there’s a fiction book that centers around baking, I’m down to read it. A tale of adultery that centers around baking & recipes interwoven into the couple’s life really speaks to me. Usually, books that involve baking are fairly upbeat & magical. As I read the synopsis for Gold’s debut, I’m intrigued. The premise is pretty serious.
RECIPES FROM THE HEART
Can we talk about this cover for a minute? I’m in love! Check out that layer cake! It looks so delicious. Luckily, Jennifer Gold includes many recipes in The Ingredients of Us. Almost effortlessly, she weaves the recipes in to be truly part of the narrative rather than including them as an afterthought. Each recipe feels as though it truly belongs in the story.
Truly, The Ingredients of Us by Jennifer Gold really works for me. Don’t let the super cute cover fool you. Gold gets deep real quick. She uses alternating timelines that work well for the narrative. Readers are able to get snippets of the relationship pre, post & during the discovery of adultery. Also, I have to say I love the ending. Easily Gold can take the easy way out & wrap everything up with a pretty bow. I’m happy to say, she doesn’t! Her ending has me thinking & wanting to discuss it with fellow readers.
THE VERDICT
I am Really Into This book!
July 9, 2019
The Ingredients of Us is a very unique book - I really enjoyed it! Not only does it have a great story with drool worthy recipes mixed in, it has a very unique timeline, alternating from before an event occurs and after that event occurs. The characters are all very real - this story could be about your next door neighbors, or coworkers. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author!
July 14, 2019
The Ingredients of Us has the best cover and that’s what drew me to this book. Lots of recipes in this book that literally made my mouth water. A woman’s husband has cheated on her and that’s how it starts. It flips back and forth from before the affair and after the affair but it’s easy to follow. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All opinions are my own.
July 19, 2019
⭐️Book Review ⭐️
The Ingredients of Us by Jennifer Gold
3/5 Stars
**I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
I really wanted to love this book after all the hype about it on social media. The dual timelines were absolute confusion. It’s one thing to jump to ‘before’ and ‘after’ and event, but this timeline would jump to years before, days after, months before, etc. I almost needed a notebook to keep track of where we were at in the story. We were told how the couple met 2/3 through the book- it seemed out of place.
Tom and Elle have a good marriage until she finds out he cheated. It’s very predictable. Tom is typical good husband turned scoundrel and wants Elle back. Elle is a fabulous baker owning her own bakery with her friend Bonnie. The book is filled with yummy recipes that I could never recreate, but sound delicious.
The story follows Elle and Tom through their relationship ups and downs along with Elle and her bakery trials.
I did enjoy the story and it was sweet, but I would not recommend the book or buy it myself. No depth...
The Ingredients of Us by Jennifer Gold
3/5 Stars
**I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
I really wanted to love this book after all the hype about it on social media. The dual timelines were absolute confusion. It’s one thing to jump to ‘before’ and ‘after’ and event, but this timeline would jump to years before, days after, months before, etc. I almost needed a notebook to keep track of where we were at in the story. We were told how the couple met 2/3 through the book- it seemed out of place.
Tom and Elle have a good marriage until she finds out he cheated. It’s very predictable. Tom is typical good husband turned scoundrel and wants Elle back. Elle is a fabulous baker owning her own bakery with her friend Bonnie. The book is filled with yummy recipes that I could never recreate, but sound delicious.
The story follows Elle and Tom through their relationship ups and downs along with Elle and her bakery trials.
I did enjoy the story and it was sweet, but I would not recommend the book or buy it myself. No depth...
July 22, 2019
👩🏼🍳🧁 This one was heavily promoted for me on Goodreads, and since it was available for me as Read & Listen on Kindle Unlimited, I gave it a try. I listened to it and ultimately thought it was.....fine.
.
The premise of a baker (my FAVORITE) navigating how to deal with her husband’s infidelity and the unraveling of her marriage was intriguing to me, and I liked the whole bakery part of the book. However, one thing I forgot about is how difficult it is for me when there are recipes in books because they don’t translate well for me on audio - I refuse to listen to them so I have to be able to fast forward which is hard when I’m multitasking. In print I love them, though! The storyline kept going back and forth between present day and years, months earlier, but hopping all over the place. You REALLY have to pay attention to chapter headings!
.
I got pretty into the question of whether or not the marriage would be saved, but ultimately thought the ending didn’t make sense. Overall, a 3 ⭐️ read I’d recommend in print over audio if you have Kindle Unlimited. I’ll pay attention to the author’s future releases and I give the cover at LEAST 10 ⭐️!
.
The premise of a baker (my FAVORITE) navigating how to deal with her husband’s infidelity and the unraveling of her marriage was intriguing to me, and I liked the whole bakery part of the book. However, one thing I forgot about is how difficult it is for me when there are recipes in books because they don’t translate well for me on audio - I refuse to listen to them so I have to be able to fast forward which is hard when I’m multitasking. In print I love them, though! The storyline kept going back and forth between present day and years, months earlier, but hopping all over the place. You REALLY have to pay attention to chapter headings!
.
I got pretty into the question of whether or not the marriage would be saved, but ultimately thought the ending didn’t make sense. Overall, a 3 ⭐️ read I’d recommend in print over audio if you have Kindle Unlimited. I’ll pay attention to the author’s future releases and I give the cover at LEAST 10 ⭐️!
December 13, 2020
3.5 stars
A very good debut novel.
Spoilers ahead:
I will admit, it started off very slow. It’s told in dual timeline- past and present. It was a bit confusing in initially, as the timelines were jumping all over the place, they weren’t chronological even in their own timelines- but by the end it does all come together nicely.
In the beginning, I found the h annoying and very 2 dimensional. Same with the H. We don’t see much of him in the present until towards the end of the book.
One thing the writer did do was made me feel empathy for the cheating H. Quite honestly, I don’t know how he put up with the selfish h for all those years. Her first true love was her baking and her bakery.
So book starts with h finding about H cheating. Do they confront and scream at each other? Nope. She carries on as normal. They still live in the same house, and for all we know he is still sleeping with his mistress.
The h seems more upset that the H said he would no longer help her fund her dream of opening a second bakery than the fact that he’s with someone else.
h decides to get revenge by having a sleazy one night stand with someone 10 years younger, but it doesn’t bring her much peace. She goes back to the same man a few times but ends up getting humiliated more than anything. I felt a bit sorry for the OM, she could have let him down gently.
Anyway not much happens, we see flashbacks of how h and H met, got engaged, got married. And the one thing that comes out from all this is that the H is a bloody angel.
So H had been married before and divorced his first wife because she didn’t want kids. The h knew this, so after 6 years of marriage, when H decides he wants a child, I don’t understand the h’s reaction at all. Shes 35, her biological clock is ticking.
But like I said, h is selfish. Of course it’s up to her if she doesn’t want kids, but why string the poor H along for 9 years? She knew it was a dealbreaker for him.
So basically the H had an affair because the h was self absorbed in her own world and he always came second to her baking and bakery.
Seriously the h spent 90 percent of the book baking or at her work. Can’t really blame the H to be honest. His cheating was a desperate cry for attention. It was obvious he wanted h to find out. He stopped the affair as soon as she did. But it’s too late. They divorce.
About a year after the divorce, h has opened her dream second bakery and still doesn’t want kids. H turns up one day and asks her to join him for cake.
People have said the ending is open. I don��t think it is. It’s realistic. But I believe they do get back together- the h admits she loves the H, and the H returned even knowing the h probably hasn’t changed her mind about kids.
So yes I believe they have their HEA and would like to believe the h maybe becomes a bit less selfish and considers have one child, especially now that she has her beloved second bakery.
I would recommend this book but advise readers to keep reading past the first few boring chapters and not to give up. It becomes much better in the second half.
I would give the first half 2 stars and second half 4 stars.
A very good debut novel.
Spoilers ahead:
I will admit, it started off very slow. It’s told in dual timeline- past and present. It was a bit confusing in initially, as the timelines were jumping all over the place, they weren’t chronological even in their own timelines- but by the end it does all come together nicely.
In the beginning, I found the h annoying and very 2 dimensional. Same with the H. We don’t see much of him in the present until towards the end of the book.
One thing the writer did do was made me feel empathy for the cheating H. Quite honestly, I don’t know how he put up with the selfish h for all those years. Her first true love was her baking and her bakery.
So book starts with h finding about H cheating. Do they confront and scream at each other? Nope. She carries on as normal. They still live in the same house, and for all we know he is still sleeping with his mistress.
The h seems more upset that the H said he would no longer help her fund her dream of opening a second bakery than the fact that he’s with someone else.
h decides to get revenge by having a sleazy one night stand with someone 10 years younger, but it doesn’t bring her much peace. She goes back to the same man a few times but ends up getting humiliated more than anything. I felt a bit sorry for the OM, she could have let him down gently.
Anyway not much happens, we see flashbacks of how h and H met, got engaged, got married. And the one thing that comes out from all this is that the H is a bloody angel.
So H had been married before and divorced his first wife because she didn’t want kids. The h knew this, so after 6 years of marriage, when H decides he wants a child, I don’t understand the h’s reaction at all. Shes 35, her biological clock is ticking.
But like I said, h is selfish. Of course it’s up to her if she doesn’t want kids, but why string the poor H along for 9 years? She knew it was a dealbreaker for him.
So basically the H had an affair because the h was self absorbed in her own world and he always came second to her baking and bakery.
Seriously the h spent 90 percent of the book baking or at her work. Can’t really blame the H to be honest. His cheating was a desperate cry for attention. It was obvious he wanted h to find out. He stopped the affair as soon as she did. But it’s too late. They divorce.
About a year after the divorce, h has opened her dream second bakery and still doesn’t want kids. H turns up one day and asks her to join him for cake.
People have said the ending is open. I don��t think it is. It’s realistic. But I believe they do get back together- the h admits she loves the H, and the H returned even knowing the h probably hasn’t changed her mind about kids.
So yes I believe they have their HEA and would like to believe the h maybe becomes a bit less selfish and considers have one child, especially now that she has her beloved second bakery.
I would recommend this book but advise readers to keep reading past the first few boring chapters and not to give up. It becomes much better in the second half.
I would give the first half 2 stars and second half 4 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2019
The Ingredients of Us, Jennifer Gold
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
General Fiction (Adult),
Well, I found this a bit of a weird book for me. I was expecting a romance, after all the blurb says this “a delicious novel about the sweet and sour ingredients of life and love.” Its not though, its a book about...Well TBH its hard to say what its about. It jumps from different times, years past, recent past, and of course the present.
Her marriage is stale, and its no great surprise that husband tom strays. yet even then they don't have a big row and one move out, they're still house sharing in a cold war of ignoring each other.
The bakery and her partner and best friend Bonnie play a big part in the novel, and there are recipes from Elle's binder. There's a weird bit involving Bonnie and her husband, from when she first met him, that Elle seems to have carried for so long, and to her its mega important. It colours how she acts with Charlie, even now years later, and just felt strange to me. I'm not really sure why it was included, it didn't seem to have any real connection to events in the story.
Elle herself is a curious mix, lacking confidence one moment, full of it the next. I didn't dislike her, but I'm not sure I liked her either.
We don't really ever get to know Tom, except that given his first marriage broke up from his wanting kids and his wife not wanting them I'd have thought that's a conversation he and Elle would have had early on. Clearly they're also on different wavelengths here, and that's a huge problem in a relationship.
I didn't feel any great love between them, wasn't really surprise Tom played away ( though I never condone cheating – at least try to fix a relationship first). Its a slow progression of life in the months after with flashback to when they were together. They never at any point explore why Tom had an affair, what went wrong. Tom just stays in the background while ellie feels incredibly self righteous, and yet isn't really any more moral in the way she treats Liam? Oliver? I can't even remember the guy's name, just that he's way younger. I don't have an issue with younger men, no one bats an eyelid at younger women, but in both cases I like to see them treated properly, and yet poor Liam/Oliver doesn't really stand a chance. It feels to me he's really just someone Elle uses to take out her feelings of frustration, to make her feel good about herself, her desirability. He's after sex at first of course, but it seemed he was trying for more, but Elle just dithers about how she feels never considering his needs.
I finished the book, but at the end I felt underwhelmed, it didn't seem to have any clear resolution, just a possible one. I felt I was reading an extended part of a wider novel, not a complete book. Its fine for others of course. Its well written, but the content just didn't work for me.
Stars: Two, I didn't really like Elle and felt I simply didn't know Tom. The story itself felt as if I was reading and extended excerpt.
An Amazon First Choice read.
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
General Fiction (Adult),
Well, I found this a bit of a weird book for me. I was expecting a romance, after all the blurb says this “a delicious novel about the sweet and sour ingredients of life and love.” Its not though, its a book about...Well TBH its hard to say what its about. It jumps from different times, years past, recent past, and of course the present.
Her marriage is stale, and its no great surprise that husband tom strays. yet even then they don't have a big row and one move out, they're still house sharing in a cold war of ignoring each other.
The bakery and her partner and best friend Bonnie play a big part in the novel, and there are recipes from Elle's binder. There's a weird bit involving Bonnie and her husband, from when she first met him, that Elle seems to have carried for so long, and to her its mega important. It colours how she acts with Charlie, even now years later, and just felt strange to me. I'm not really sure why it was included, it didn't seem to have any real connection to events in the story.
Elle herself is a curious mix, lacking confidence one moment, full of it the next. I didn't dislike her, but I'm not sure I liked her either.
We don't really ever get to know Tom, except that given his first marriage broke up from his wanting kids and his wife not wanting them I'd have thought that's a conversation he and Elle would have had early on. Clearly they're also on different wavelengths here, and that's a huge problem in a relationship.
I didn't feel any great love between them, wasn't really surprise Tom played away ( though I never condone cheating – at least try to fix a relationship first). Its a slow progression of life in the months after with flashback to when they were together. They never at any point explore why Tom had an affair, what went wrong. Tom just stays in the background while ellie feels incredibly self righteous, and yet isn't really any more moral in the way she treats Liam? Oliver? I can't even remember the guy's name, just that he's way younger. I don't have an issue with younger men, no one bats an eyelid at younger women, but in both cases I like to see them treated properly, and yet poor Liam/Oliver doesn't really stand a chance. It feels to me he's really just someone Elle uses to take out her feelings of frustration, to make her feel good about herself, her desirability. He's after sex at first of course, but it seemed he was trying for more, but Elle just dithers about how she feels never considering his needs.
I finished the book, but at the end I felt underwhelmed, it didn't seem to have any clear resolution, just a possible one. I felt I was reading an extended part of a wider novel, not a complete book. Its fine for others of course. Its well written, but the content just didn't work for me.
Stars: Two, I didn't really like Elle and felt I simply didn't know Tom. The story itself felt as if I was reading and extended excerpt.
An Amazon First Choice read.
July 5, 2019
This light well written debut novel is a perfect summer read. No only do you get a great plot with interesting characters but there are also lots of fantastic recipes, too. The recipes are for everything from blackberry jam to lemon tarts and espresso seduction brownies. Even if you aren't a baker, these recipes will make you wish that you were!
Elle owns her own bakery and has been baking for her entire life. She bakes when she's depressed and she bakes when she's happy - baking is her personal therapy. The book begins with Elle finding out that her husband has been cheating on her. She knew that they weren't as close as they had been but had no idea that he was cheating on her. As she works through her emotions, she continues to put long hours in at her bakery aware that she won't be able to expand her business. Her recipes tie in with what is going on in her life. For example in a chapter that is about her best friend, she bakes "Ginger Peach Pie with a Friend". Will Elle be able to move on with her life without her husband - the only person that she loved more than she loved baking?
This book is told in a unique time frame. It jumps back and forth from present day to past days but not in a linear way. Chapter 1 is "six days after Elle found out' and Chapter 2 is "Eight days before Elle found out". It's an interesting way of writing the story and isn't difficult for the reader to follow all the time changes.
This is a light read full of interesting characters along with mouth watering recipes. Have a snack close at hand when you read it - you're going to need it.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Elle owns her own bakery and has been baking for her entire life. She bakes when she's depressed and she bakes when she's happy - baking is her personal therapy. The book begins with Elle finding out that her husband has been cheating on her. She knew that they weren't as close as they had been but had no idea that he was cheating on her. As she works through her emotions, she continues to put long hours in at her bakery aware that she won't be able to expand her business. Her recipes tie in with what is going on in her life. For example in a chapter that is about her best friend, she bakes "Ginger Peach Pie with a Friend". Will Elle be able to move on with her life without her husband - the only person that she loved more than she loved baking?
This book is told in a unique time frame. It jumps back and forth from present day to past days but not in a linear way. Chapter 1 is "six days after Elle found out' and Chapter 2 is "Eight days before Elle found out". It's an interesting way of writing the story and isn't difficult for the reader to follow all the time changes.
This is a light read full of interesting characters along with mouth watering recipes. Have a snack close at hand when you read it - you're going to need it.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
August 11, 2020
This book breaks all my rules. First of all it's told in present tense--not my favorite. BUT ... I stopped noticing at the second sentence, so skillfully was it done. Second, I am a linear thinker and like my books going from A to B to C, not jumping all around like this one does. BUT ... the story was so compelling it ceased to matter about three chapters in. I just wanted to know what happened!!!
And the ending? I won't spoil it even though it broke another rule. BUT ... it was such a complete, natural, and satisfying ending that it didn't matter.
If you have rules like I do, sometimes it's a good idea to try something new. This book is a great place to begin.
And the ending? I won't spoil it even though it broke another rule. BUT ... it was such a complete, natural, and satisfying ending that it didn't matter.
If you have rules like I do, sometimes it's a good idea to try something new. This book is a great place to begin.
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