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The Woman Who Wanted More
Two lonely women.
An unlikely friendship.
And one big life lesson: never be ashamed to ask for more . . .
After a major life upheaval on the eve of her 40th birthday, a reluctant Kate Parker finds herself volunteering at Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies. There she meets 97-year-old Cecily Finn. Cecily's tongue is as sharp as her mind but she has lost her spark, simply resigning herself to the Imminent End.
Having no patience with Kate's plight, Cecily prescribes her a self-help book with a difference - it's a 1957 cookery manual, featuring menus for anything life can throw at 'the easily dismayed'. Will Kate find a menu to help her recover from her broken heart? If Kate moves forward, might Cecily too?
The cookbook holds the secrets of Cecily's own remarkable past, and the story of the love of her life. It will certainly teach Kate a thing or two.
So begins an unlikely friendship between two lonely and stubborn souls - one at the end of her life, one stuck in the middle - who come to show each other that food is for feasting, life is for living and the way to a man's heart is . . . irrelevant!
An unlikely friendship.
And one big life lesson: never be ashamed to ask for more . . .
After a major life upheaval on the eve of her 40th birthday, a reluctant Kate Parker finds herself volunteering at Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies. There she meets 97-year-old Cecily Finn. Cecily's tongue is as sharp as her mind but she has lost her spark, simply resigning herself to the Imminent End.
Having no patience with Kate's plight, Cecily prescribes her a self-help book with a difference - it's a 1957 cookery manual, featuring menus for anything life can throw at 'the easily dismayed'. Will Kate find a menu to help her recover from her broken heart? If Kate moves forward, might Cecily too?
The cookbook holds the secrets of Cecily's own remarkable past, and the story of the love of her life. It will certainly teach Kate a thing or two.
So begins an unlikely friendship between two lonely and stubborn souls - one at the end of her life, one stuck in the middle - who come to show each other that food is for feasting, life is for living and the way to a man's heart is . . . irrelevant!
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
485 people are currently reading
7432 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 853 reviews
December 24, 2020
3.5 ⭐️ Rounded down
I wish I had known before reading this, that the story was inspired by the author’s grandmother, and an actual cookbook...
I may have read the story, with a different eye...or listened to Cecily’s reminiscing with a different ear
had I known these facts-as her life really was quite EXCEPTIONAL!
With that being said, you will now be able to do so, if you choose to add this book..📚
🫖☕️🍪
I may have gained 10 pounds just opening the cover of this book!
It’s a book written for people who feel that FOOD is essential to HAPPINESS!
Crammed full of talk about preparing food, and eating food...maybe TOO crammed.
With her 40th birthday coming up, and her relationship “ON HOLD”, Kate Parker finds herself volunteering at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies-
The youngest resident is eighty-six year old Emily Sinclair and the oldest is Constance Madrigal, at one hundred and three.
She is tasked with visiting the prickly, Cecily Finn, aged 97, a resident who has a room stacked with floor to ceiling books, including in the bathroom, but not a soul to visit her.
It takes awhile but eventually they bond over their love of food, one of life’s few RELIABLE pleasures, and over Mrs. Finn’s favorite cookbook-“Food for Thought” which features menus for all of the tricky things that life might throw at you in 1957, including, Tea for a Crotchety Aunt, or Dinner for a Charming Stranger...
Now, usually, I fall in love with the Octogenarian Characters (or older) that I choose to read about, like Mrs. G from “Have You Seen Luis Velez?” Or Eudora Honeysett of “The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett” (earlier reads this year)-But, it took over 3/4 of the book till I warmed up to Mrs. Finn!
Cecily Finn did NOT approve of Kate’s desire to give her man Nick, time to come around and yet, she often treated Kate as badly as Nick did! If Kate did not have such a tolerant heart, she would not have put up with Mrs. Finn’s behavior either!
Eventually though, the two women end up helping each other, in ways that neither could not have imagined at the start of this “friendship”.
Who knows, by the end of this journey, she may even be permitted to call this Septuagenarian-Cecily.
I wish the story, which really is quite remarkable, had been edited to a book about 100 pages shorter.
The pace is uneven, as Kate’s humor gets lost in the endless descriptions of food and a story that tries to tackle too much.
There is Kate’s dissatisfaction with her job, (which could’ve been condensed) and her despair about her stagnant relationship, competing for time with her growing friendship with Cecily. All are necessary but the plot would have benefited from being tighter.
I don’t even think that PART 5 or the epilogue added anything to the story.
The conversation that takes place on the bench in the garden, when Kate shares some news with Cecily would have been the perfect conclusion. We, the reader, can figure out the rest.
Sometimes less, is more.
DO read the “NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR” !
This was a wonderful buddy read with friends DeAnn and Susan, and the words from the author at the end of the story really enhanced our discussion.
I wish I had known before reading this, that the story was inspired by the author’s grandmother, and an actual cookbook...
I may have read the story, with a different eye...or listened to Cecily’s reminiscing with a different ear
had I known these facts-as her life really was quite EXCEPTIONAL!
With that being said, you will now be able to do so, if you choose to add this book..📚
🫖☕️🍪
I may have gained 10 pounds just opening the cover of this book!
It’s a book written for people who feel that FOOD is essential to HAPPINESS!
Crammed full of talk about preparing food, and eating food...maybe TOO crammed.
With her 40th birthday coming up, and her relationship “ON HOLD”, Kate Parker finds herself volunteering at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies-
The youngest resident is eighty-six year old Emily Sinclair and the oldest is Constance Madrigal, at one hundred and three.
She is tasked with visiting the prickly, Cecily Finn, aged 97, a resident who has a room stacked with floor to ceiling books, including in the bathroom, but not a soul to visit her.
It takes awhile but eventually they bond over their love of food, one of life’s few RELIABLE pleasures, and over Mrs. Finn’s favorite cookbook-“Food for Thought” which features menus for all of the tricky things that life might throw at you in 1957, including, Tea for a Crotchety Aunt, or Dinner for a Charming Stranger...
Now, usually, I fall in love with the Octogenarian Characters (or older) that I choose to read about, like Mrs. G from “Have You Seen Luis Velez?” Or Eudora Honeysett of “The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett” (earlier reads this year)-But, it took over 3/4 of the book till I warmed up to Mrs. Finn!
Cecily Finn did NOT approve of Kate’s desire to give her man Nick, time to come around and yet, she often treated Kate as badly as Nick did! If Kate did not have such a tolerant heart, she would not have put up with Mrs. Finn’s behavior either!
Eventually though, the two women end up helping each other, in ways that neither could not have imagined at the start of this “friendship”.
Who knows, by the end of this journey, she may even be permitted to call this Septuagenarian-Cecily.
I wish the story, which really is quite remarkable, had been edited to a book about 100 pages shorter.
The pace is uneven, as Kate’s humor gets lost in the endless descriptions of food and a story that tries to tackle too much.
There is Kate’s dissatisfaction with her job, (which could’ve been condensed) and her despair about her stagnant relationship, competing for time with her growing friendship with Cecily. All are necessary but the plot would have benefited from being tighter.
I don’t even think that PART 5 or the epilogue added anything to the story.
The conversation that takes place on the bench in the garden, when Kate shares some news with Cecily would have been the perfect conclusion. We, the reader, can figure out the rest.
Sometimes less, is more.
DO read the “NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR” !
This was a wonderful buddy read with friends DeAnn and Susan, and the words from the author at the end of the story really enhanced our discussion.
June 15, 2020
Oh my gosh, look at that adorable yellow cover! This books like a sweet one, doesn’t it? Let me tell you, it has great depth to balance that sugar.
Kate Parker is almost forty when she is dumped and forced to move back in with her mom. Kate volunteers at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies where she meets Cecily Finn, a clever ninety-something who recently lost some of her sass.
Cecily gives Kate a cookery manual from the 1950s that answers questions of what to cook for whom and when, curing all that ails them. This book also holds some secrets to Cecily’s life. The two become fast friends who bond over food and finding hope in the hard places.
I loved Cecily and Kate and watching their journey unfold. Definitely give this one a try if you are looking for a warmhearted story that'll make you feel good.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Kate Parker is almost forty when she is dumped and forced to move back in with her mom. Kate volunteers at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies where she meets Cecily Finn, a clever ninety-something who recently lost some of her sass.
Cecily gives Kate a cookery manual from the 1950s that answers questions of what to cook for whom and when, curing all that ails them. This book also holds some secrets to Cecily’s life. The two become fast friends who bond over food and finding hope in the hard places.
I loved Cecily and Kate and watching their journey unfold. Definitely give this one a try if you are looking for a warmhearted story that'll make you feel good.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
October 3, 2020
Rating 4.25
What an unexpected fun read! While looking for a foodie book for a buddy read with Dana, I came across this one. The bright yellow cover, the title, caught my eye. Knew nothing about it but reviews I read gushed about the food descriptions. Food descriptions......Sold!
Kate's life is falling apart. She's about to turn 40, her boyfriend is an absolute cad, her job is going nowhere. And then, she's on a break from her boyfriend, she looses her flat, leaves her job and moves in with her mother who is a royal pain. As it all comes crashing down, her friend suggests she volunteer at an animal shelter, but the kittens didn't want her (as Kate claims) and she ends up volunteering at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies. Here is where she meets the feisty, wise cracking Cecily Finn. Cecily is 97, she's fed up with dolts, and really just tells you how it is. Kate begins cooking demonstrations at the home and here is where these two just, shall we say clash....but more, begin their friendship. Cecily pushes Kate to get what she deserves, and be who she is, and stand up for herself.....and all the food! Yes, you see Cecily wrote a cookbook a long time ago and Kate cooks through this book, she's quite the foodie anyway, and we the readers get to indulge in all the mouth watering descriptions provided in the wonderful, heart warming story.
I adored this one. I grabbed the audio and loved the narration. It was funny, I found myself laughing out loud a few times, and the perfect read to take your mind off of things for a bit. Sometimes those books we know nothing about and go into blindly are the ones we end up enjoying the most. It's a quick read but had to knock it for a few things. Kate just went on and on about her boyfriend/ex when everyone clearly could see it was a cad and it got a bit old. And in the end, it was just a tad bit predictable. But it was such a fun read that we both enjoyed. If you want a good story, want a good laugh, or want to hear about food (descriptions of what she' making, I'll say no recipes included), this is the perfect read.
What an unexpected fun read! While looking for a foodie book for a buddy read with Dana, I came across this one. The bright yellow cover, the title, caught my eye. Knew nothing about it but reviews I read gushed about the food descriptions. Food descriptions......Sold!
Kate's life is falling apart. She's about to turn 40, her boyfriend is an absolute cad, her job is going nowhere. And then, she's on a break from her boyfriend, she looses her flat, leaves her job and moves in with her mother who is a royal pain. As it all comes crashing down, her friend suggests she volunteer at an animal shelter, but the kittens didn't want her (as Kate claims) and she ends up volunteering at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies. Here is where she meets the feisty, wise cracking Cecily Finn. Cecily is 97, she's fed up with dolts, and really just tells you how it is. Kate begins cooking demonstrations at the home and here is where these two just, shall we say clash....but more, begin their friendship. Cecily pushes Kate to get what she deserves, and be who she is, and stand up for herself.....and all the food! Yes, you see Cecily wrote a cookbook a long time ago and Kate cooks through this book, she's quite the foodie anyway, and we the readers get to indulge in all the mouth watering descriptions provided in the wonderful, heart warming story.
I adored this one. I grabbed the audio and loved the narration. It was funny, I found myself laughing out loud a few times, and the perfect read to take your mind off of things for a bit. Sometimes those books we know nothing about and go into blindly are the ones we end up enjoying the most. It's a quick read but had to knock it for a few things. Kate just went on and on about her boyfriend/ex when everyone clearly could see it was a cad and it got a bit old. And in the end, it was just a tad bit predictable. But it was such a fun read that we both enjoyed. If you want a good story, want a good laugh, or want to hear about food (descriptions of what she' making, I'll say no recipes included), this is the perfect read.
February 23, 2021
Sweet and Sour Sauce
I would describe the first part of this book as a rom-com which I like in movies, but am not enamoured with in print. In addition, I don’t identify with foodies and I’m loathe to social media posts of other people’s dinner tables. Yawn.
So why did I enjoy this book so much?
I loved the main characters! Kate’s life is a muddle, but her clear thought process and pithy observations had me laughing at times and empathising at others. She spoke her mind while attempting not to suffer fools and then tripped over herself on occasion. Impassioned and endearing, I liked reading about her.
Cecily is a curmudgeon of the highest order. Prickly to downright rude, she’s a lot to take in but Kate manages to see, appreciate, and then seek her advice. I loved her too and I can’t put my finger on the reason. Maybe her free spirit resonated with me.
The second half is more focused on the friendship between the two. Ninety seven year old Cecily and thirty nine year old Kate form an unlikely bond over books, food, and cooking with their pairing benefiting both.
I also liked the author’s writing. Realistic humor without silliness or trying too hard. Sometimes it’s a fine line. Among notable quotes, I liked this:
“It’s called ghosting, Mrs. Finn, and you can add it to your list of things you don’t ever need to know about, alongside Snapchatting your bottom, Instagramming your avocado toast, and every single one of the Kardashians.”
The only drawback is that I felt the book was too long and I lost focus in the middle. I see many five star reviews, but for me, I would've preferred a more paired down edit.
This was a fun buddy read with DeAnn and Jayme who brought it to my attention.
I would describe the first part of this book as a rom-com which I like in movies, but am not enamoured with in print. In addition, I don’t identify with foodies and I’m loathe to social media posts of other people’s dinner tables. Yawn.
So why did I enjoy this book so much?
I loved the main characters! Kate’s life is a muddle, but her clear thought process and pithy observations had me laughing at times and empathising at others. She spoke her mind while attempting not to suffer fools and then tripped over herself on occasion. Impassioned and endearing, I liked reading about her.
Cecily is a curmudgeon of the highest order. Prickly to downright rude, she’s a lot to take in but Kate manages to see, appreciate, and then seek her advice. I loved her too and I can’t put my finger on the reason. Maybe her free spirit resonated with me.
The second half is more focused on the friendship between the two. Ninety seven year old Cecily and thirty nine year old Kate form an unlikely bond over books, food, and cooking with their pairing benefiting both.
I also liked the author’s writing. Realistic humor without silliness or trying too hard. Sometimes it’s a fine line. Among notable quotes, I liked this:
“It’s called ghosting, Mrs. Finn, and you can add it to your list of things you don’t ever need to know about, alongside Snapchatting your bottom, Instagramming your avocado toast, and every single one of the Kardashians.”
The only drawback is that I felt the book was too long and I lost focus in the middle. I see many five star reviews, but for me, I would've preferred a more paired down edit.
This was a fun buddy read with DeAnn and Jayme who brought it to my attention.
will-not-read
December 16, 2024I doubt I will ever read this, but it's so rare to see or hear my name anywhere where it doesn't apply to me (I've never met another Cecily), a friend's review in my feed caught my eye.
As I approach the end of my fifties (scary), the idea of a Cecily who is a "cantankerous nonagenarian" feels like something to aim for!
As I approach the end of my fifties (scary), the idea of a Cecily who is a "cantankerous nonagenarian" feels like something to aim for!
December 16, 2024
Since my most recent foray into "Chick Lit" (The Wedding People) went so well, I thought I'd give it another try. While there were aspects of this story I did enjoy, Zimmerman lacks Espach's way with words and ear for dialogue.
What I liked about this novel:
The character of Cecily Finn, a cantankerous nonagenarian.
The relationship between Cecily and the about to turn 40 year old Kate.
All the talk about food.
The "bad boyfriend" is not abusive and doesn't cheat.
The story is based on the author's grandmother's life.
The messages: You are responsible for your own happiness, and friendship is one of the greatest gifts.
What didn't work as well:
This could have been edited into a much tighter, and for me enjoyable, novel. All the issues with Kate and Nick as well as Kate's unhappiness with her job could have been condensed.
The story is predictable.
Publication 2019
What I liked about this novel:
The character of Cecily Finn, a cantankerous nonagenarian.
The relationship between Cecily and the about to turn 40 year old Kate.
All the talk about food.
The "bad boyfriend" is not abusive and doesn't cheat.
The story is based on the author's grandmother's life.
The messages: You are responsible for your own happiness, and friendship is one of the greatest gifts.
What didn't work as well:
This could have been edited into a much tighter, and for me enjoyable, novel. All the issues with Kate and Nick as well as Kate's unhappiness with her job could have been condensed.
The story is predictable.
Publication 2019
December 26, 2020
3.5 cooking stars
I really enjoyed the main character in this one, Kate Parker, although Cecily might think that she should be the main character! It does seem like a trend that there are more books written lately about older people and I do tend to like them.
In this case, we have Kate who is about to turn 40. She’s been working way too long in a job she doesn’t enjoy anymore, and her love life is not exactly perfect. At loose ends, she ends up volunteering at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies and it is filled with women who led remarkable lives. She is encouraged to visit Cecily, who is a prickly 97-year-old who doesn’t get any visitors.
Kate loves to cook, and the book is filled with various menus and situations around food! While I do enjoy cooking and eating, there may have been a bit too much on that in this book! Cecily loans Kate a cookbook and it becomes a self-help book and source of amusement for Kate and her friends with menus suggested for every occasion. Kate doesn’t always like Cecily’s advice or attitude, but the two grow on each other. By the end of the book, Cecily had grown on me. I found out in the author’s notes that Cecily is based on her grandmother and I do wish I had known that at the outset.
This book is filled with interesting characters and I did enjoy reading it, but was too long in my opinion! This was a terrific buddy read with Jayme and Susan and it was great fun to discuss.
I really enjoyed the main character in this one, Kate Parker, although Cecily might think that she should be the main character! It does seem like a trend that there are more books written lately about older people and I do tend to like them.
In this case, we have Kate who is about to turn 40. She’s been working way too long in a job she doesn’t enjoy anymore, and her love life is not exactly perfect. At loose ends, she ends up volunteering at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies and it is filled with women who led remarkable lives. She is encouraged to visit Cecily, who is a prickly 97-year-old who doesn’t get any visitors.
Kate loves to cook, and the book is filled with various menus and situations around food! While I do enjoy cooking and eating, there may have been a bit too much on that in this book! Cecily loans Kate a cookbook and it becomes a self-help book and source of amusement for Kate and her friends with menus suggested for every occasion. Kate doesn’t always like Cecily’s advice or attitude, but the two grow on each other. By the end of the book, Cecily had grown on me. I found out in the author’s notes that Cecily is based on her grandmother and I do wish I had known that at the outset.
This book is filled with interesting characters and I did enjoy reading it, but was too long in my opinion! This was a terrific buddy read with Jayme and Susan and it was great fun to discuss.
June 6, 2020
This book has 65 chapters and it doesn't really pick up and become interesting until chapter 50. While I liked Cecily very much [SO much snark!], Kate just about drove me mad. And the early chapters about her and Nick and all the dysfunction...Yeah, no. Just no.
While the recipes were amazing to read [along with the ideas and advice] and the supper club idea was intriguing, it just wasn't enough to keep my mind from wandering, and for me to not skim [and then have to go BACK and reread when I was confused over something] and the end kind of made up for some of the beginning [though this "happily ever after" trope is really old and actually, not suited here IMO], I truly was hoping for so much more than I actually got.
Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
While the recipes were amazing to read [along with the ideas and advice] and the supper club idea was intriguing, it just wasn't enough to keep my mind from wandering, and for me to not skim [and then have to go BACK and reread when I was confused over something] and the end kind of made up for some of the beginning [though this "happily ever after" trope is really old and actually, not suited here IMO], I truly was hoping for so much more than I actually got.
Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2020
I confess right up front that my "just average" rating has more to do with when I read this book than the book itself. It was a library hold that came in while I was reading another absorbing novel, so I chose to read this at bedtime since it was a lighter, happier book. I should know better, I find it hard to concentrate on a plot when I'm tired, so I probably didn't give it the attention it deserved. It was good, it was witty, I loved both Cecily and Kate, but I was hoping for some actual recipes, not just descriptions of the food.
October 11, 2020
One of my favorite reads of 2020. Absolutely charming.
May 22, 2019
Everyone on Twitter is talking about The Woman Who Wanted More by Vicky Zimmerman and I can see why. I myself had to tweet about this book as I think it's sensational with a mixture of food to feed the heart and love and friendship. Kate Parker feels lucky to be in love with her boyfriend Nick, who just so happens to be a good cook, knocking up those delicious recipes that Kate enjoyed so much. Let's face it, we all love food cooked by our boyfriend. Nick has plans for Kate to move in with him, but first there's a trip to France. They seem happy just like people do, making plans and taking holidays. But the trip to France goes horribly wrong. I loved the idea of Kate having a friend with Cecily a ninety-seven-year-old, her story was fascinating, one that it is very easy to feel so real. Will Kate and Nick make up after their trip to France that went not the way Kate planned it to turn out? I recommend The Woman Who Wanted More by Vicky Zimmerman to every reader, whatever your age.
October 19, 2020
What a heartwarming story about two ladies with an age different. One forty and the other ninety-seven. Brought back a lot of memories for me. Learn about friendship and letting go. Never to young or old to learn about food and romance.
July 16, 2020
4.5★s
Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies (also published as The Woman Who Wanted More) is a novel by British author, Vicky Zimmerman (also writing as Stella Newman). They were on vacation in France when he told her. The plan had been for Kate Parker to move in with her boyfriend Nick Sullivan on their return, but now he is unsure, confused about how he feels. She gives him two months to unconfuse himself (they are so happy together!) and reluctantly moves in with her irritating widowed mother.
Rita Parker alternates between dispensing therapeutic advice (she’s majored in psychobabble) and volunteering Kate’s services for neighbourhood chores. Kate misses Nick so much she needs a better distraction, and Lauderdale Home for Exceptional Ladies provides it: cooking demonstrations, at first, but eventually, she settles into weekly visits with a ninety-seven-year-old resident, Cecily Finn.
Cecily is no sweet little old lady: criticising and insulting are her forte “Cecily’s mind and tongue are sharp as lime juice on an ulcer.” But gradually Kate finds that they have a love of food and cooking in common, that Cecily’s life has been full and fascinating, the perfect distraction from the thought that she may be jobless, single and forty by Christmas.
Cecily had been a writer; Katy is a writer, but of food descriptions for her supermarket employer, the greatest challenge being alliteration. Cecily expresses her disdain, and when she learns of Kate’s boyfriend situation, she doesn’t hold back on advice: “The only reason you’d countenance a man doubting you is if you doubt yourself” and “He’s clearly inadequate. He doesn’t realize how lucky he is. Find a better man” and “You like icing so much you’re willing to eat substandard cake”.
Cecily demands: “Next Sunday, I want to hear that you’ve at least spoken to a new man”. She does, however, offer something concrete: Thought for Food is a recipe book with a difference from which Kate takes inspiration, even before she realises that Cecily wrote it some over fifty years earlier. Chapters like “Dinner for the Man You Hope to Marry” and “Dinner for a Charming Stranger” seem both intriguing and appropriate.
Some of Kate’s friends believe Nick deserves a second chance; others feel Kate can do much better, and one points out that while Kate confronts her boss over his indecisiveness regards rumoured redundancies, she tolerates Nick’s equally frustrating prevarication about their future. She’s told: “Nick’s not a project; you don’t get brownie points for fixing him.”
Eventually, from “a woman whose world may now be confined to one small room, but who has lived an expansive life full of great joys and profound sorrows, and who speaks truth” Kate begins to gain the confidence to demand a better life for herself. Based on the author’s grandmother, this is a heart-warming read about love and friendship and self-worth.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark.
Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies (also published as The Woman Who Wanted More) is a novel by British author, Vicky Zimmerman (also writing as Stella Newman). They were on vacation in France when he told her. The plan had been for Kate Parker to move in with her boyfriend Nick Sullivan on their return, but now he is unsure, confused about how he feels. She gives him two months to unconfuse himself (they are so happy together!) and reluctantly moves in with her irritating widowed mother.
Rita Parker alternates between dispensing therapeutic advice (she’s majored in psychobabble) and volunteering Kate’s services for neighbourhood chores. Kate misses Nick so much she needs a better distraction, and Lauderdale Home for Exceptional Ladies provides it: cooking demonstrations, at first, but eventually, she settles into weekly visits with a ninety-seven-year-old resident, Cecily Finn.
Cecily is no sweet little old lady: criticising and insulting are her forte “Cecily’s mind and tongue are sharp as lime juice on an ulcer.” But gradually Kate finds that they have a love of food and cooking in common, that Cecily’s life has been full and fascinating, the perfect distraction from the thought that she may be jobless, single and forty by Christmas.
Cecily had been a writer; Katy is a writer, but of food descriptions for her supermarket employer, the greatest challenge being alliteration. Cecily expresses her disdain, and when she learns of Kate’s boyfriend situation, she doesn’t hold back on advice: “The only reason you’d countenance a man doubting you is if you doubt yourself” and “He’s clearly inadequate. He doesn’t realize how lucky he is. Find a better man” and “You like icing so much you’re willing to eat substandard cake”.
Cecily demands: “Next Sunday, I want to hear that you’ve at least spoken to a new man”. She does, however, offer something concrete: Thought for Food is a recipe book with a difference from which Kate takes inspiration, even before she realises that Cecily wrote it some over fifty years earlier. Chapters like “Dinner for the Man You Hope to Marry” and “Dinner for a Charming Stranger” seem both intriguing and appropriate.
Some of Kate’s friends believe Nick deserves a second chance; others feel Kate can do much better, and one points out that while Kate confronts her boss over his indecisiveness regards rumoured redundancies, she tolerates Nick’s equally frustrating prevarication about their future. She’s told: “Nick’s not a project; you don’t get brownie points for fixing him.”
Eventually, from “a woman whose world may now be confined to one small room, but who has lived an expansive life full of great joys and profound sorrows, and who speaks truth” Kate begins to gain the confidence to demand a better life for herself. Based on the author’s grandmother, this is a heart-warming read about love and friendship and self-worth.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark.
May 14, 2020
This was such a lovely story!! I am so happy I got a chance to read this one! A celebration of friendship and food! I loved reading about Cecily and Kate's unlikely friendship. Kate thinks her and her boyfriend Nick are doing great! They both love cooking and going out to eat together and it's everything to her! He wants to move in together. She is so happy because she's close to 40, and she's more than ready to settle down. When he decides that he's not really ready to commit to moving in together, Kate is so devastated! She decides to volunteer at the "Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies" to help distract her. She does food demonstrations for the residents and she meets Cecily, who criticizes her food! When the demos are cancelled she is asked to visit with Cecily. Cecily gives Kate a themed cookbook. Kate starts making the food in this book and strikes up friendship with Cecily, who talks to her about not settling, and realizing you are worth so much more!! If you love to cook, and love female friendship with meaning this is a perfect read!! It made me want to start cooking delicious meals and looking at the positive things in life!! The cooking/food descriptions made me so hungry!! Lol!! Very enjoyable, comforting, and heart warming!!
September 18, 2020
Kate Parker's 40th birthday is approaching and she feels like her life is a bit stuck in a rut. She's bored with her job, her boyfriend won't commit and her biological clock is ticking. Trying to do something positive she volunteers at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies and there she meets 97 year old Cecily Finn. Cecily can be a bit caustic and she's not afraid to speak her mind. As Kate spends more time with Cecily and learns her life story, an unforgettable friendship begins to form. When Kate is gifted by Cecily's "Thought For Food", a 1950's cookbook with wit, wisdom and menus for any occasion she's enthralled with the concept of the book. Kate is devoted to cooking the recipes and entertaining her friends. As Cecily encourages Kate to learn to love and value herself, Kate is able to flourish and grow into the person she's meant to be.
Based on the author's grandmother, the novel is a wonderful tribute to friendship, family, food and finding a path to being content with who you are.
Based on the author's grandmother, the novel is a wonderful tribute to friendship, family, food and finding a path to being content with who you are.
May 22, 2020
Full review to come! But this book is so adorable! Such a great book, the characters were fabulous! Thank you Source Books for the ARC!
October 22, 2020
4.25
A heartwarming story about an unlikely friendship between two (40 and 97 year old) women.
A feel-good buddy read with PorshaJo. One we both really enjoyed - and don’t we all need that right now!
A heartwarming story about an unlikely friendship between two (40 and 97 year old) women.
A feel-good buddy read with PorshaJo. One we both really enjoyed - and don’t we all need that right now!
December 2, 2024
4.5 stars
IRL Book Club November
Foodie Theme
Set in London with a romance on the rocks which Kate doesn’t quite want to let go of because she’s turning 40 and finding Mr. Right is not that easy (she thinks) these days when you can’t meet a guy in real life any other way than online.
This is a book about perfect timing, good friendships, and finding your true value and path in life amidst every day's mundaneness. Kate meets nonagenarian Cecily and a friendship forges between these two women. Cecily is a wealth of information on life and can immediately sense that Kate is just accepting the status quo when she could very easily become so much more in her life. She just needs to let this all-wrong guy go and quit her food label writing job she’s had for 20 years at her local grocery store.
”Life is as long as it’s short.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means find what nourishes your soul, discover what you’re capable of—live life well.”
These lonley women bond over their love of food and the book Thought for Food: A Cookbook for Entertaining Occasions written by Cecily when she was younger. This is a self-help book in the form of a cookbook complete with menus that hold the secrets to Cecily’s remarkable and heartbreaking life story. Her life was quite fulfilling, and as she tells her history, you will fall in love with her despite her hard-nosed, cantankerous, opinionated personality. This book becomes Kate’s bible, her go-to for the perfect menu for every social situation in her life. The bond that builds between Kate and Cecily is sweet and encouraging, and Kate learns some tough lessons. It is a brilliantly heartwarming story and a quick and light read when you need something to brighten you up!
I’ve written this book not for those heroic housewives who, having produced a cordon bleu dinner for twenty, emerge from their kitchen triumphant. I address, rather, the more easily dismayed to whom a gastronomic occasion is a challenge and a dilemma. What shall one give to the man one hopes will stay on after dinner? The man one hopes will not?
Some of the examples of the menus are titled:
Luncheon for a bad-Tempered Guest
Supper to Make Peace with Your Sister after a Squabble
Dinner for a Charming Stranger
Dinner for a New Love, an Old Love, and the Old Love’s New Love
Truly a gem!
IRL Book Club November
Foodie Theme
Set in London with a romance on the rocks which Kate doesn’t quite want to let go of because she’s turning 40 and finding Mr. Right is not that easy (she thinks) these days when you can’t meet a guy in real life any other way than online.
This is a book about perfect timing, good friendships, and finding your true value and path in life amidst every day's mundaneness. Kate meets nonagenarian Cecily and a friendship forges between these two women. Cecily is a wealth of information on life and can immediately sense that Kate is just accepting the status quo when she could very easily become so much more in her life. She just needs to let this all-wrong guy go and quit her food label writing job she’s had for 20 years at her local grocery store.
”Life is as long as it’s short.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means find what nourishes your soul, discover what you’re capable of—live life well.”
These lonley women bond over their love of food and the book Thought for Food: A Cookbook for Entertaining Occasions written by Cecily when she was younger. This is a self-help book in the form of a cookbook complete with menus that hold the secrets to Cecily’s remarkable and heartbreaking life story. Her life was quite fulfilling, and as she tells her history, you will fall in love with her despite her hard-nosed, cantankerous, opinionated personality. This book becomes Kate’s bible, her go-to for the perfect menu for every social situation in her life. The bond that builds between Kate and Cecily is sweet and encouraging, and Kate learns some tough lessons. It is a brilliantly heartwarming story and a quick and light read when you need something to brighten you up!
I’ve written this book not for those heroic housewives who, having produced a cordon bleu dinner for twenty, emerge from their kitchen triumphant. I address, rather, the more easily dismayed to whom a gastronomic occasion is a challenge and a dilemma. What shall one give to the man one hopes will stay on after dinner? The man one hopes will not?
Some of the examples of the menus are titled:
Luncheon for a bad-Tempered Guest
Supper to Make Peace with Your Sister after a Squabble
Dinner for a Charming Stranger
Dinner for a New Love, an Old Love, and the Old Love’s New Love
Truly a gem!
May 16, 2019
What a charming and delightful book! I adored the characters - especially Cecily! - and found it to be one of those books that is heartwarming and inspiring, and even made me shed a tear or two!
Kate Parker is the main character and her life is seemingly all going swimmingly - she's in a loving relationship with Nick who shares her passion for food and cooking (note - do NOT read this book on an empty stomach!!) and is settled in her work life, but that settled life is soon disrupted by Nick dropping a bombshell while they're away on holiday together and it leaves her feeling very unsettled and very down on life. She moves back in with her mum who is a completely different character to her - very outgoing and free-spirited - who tries setting her up with friends' sons and offering her the advice to stop being the victim and to move on with her life. Kate isn't so sure she's able to and still pines for her and Nick getting back together.
While she has some spare time, a friend gets her to volunteer at a local old people's home - Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies - which is full of some of the most wonderful characters, the most entertaining being 97 year old Cecily! She takes no prisoners and doesn't mince her words and seems to enjoy heckling Kate who takes on the role of cookery demonstrator! Despite their prickly start, they soon form such a wonderful friendship as Cecily takes on the role of life advisor, and lends her an amazing cookbook that combines recipes with great life advice and Kate starts taking the pages of the book to heart.
I loved the scenes between Kate and Cecily and think I need a Cecily in my life! She's wise, witty and wonderful! She shares her own life story with Kate, but also gets Kate to question her own life plan and pushes her to explore different things in life and to stop sitting around waiting for Nick to change his mind and to find her own worth.
What made this story even more touching was that the author based it on her own grandmother and it really added such a wonderful feel to the book, especially with the photos of her grandmother at the end. What a woman and what a story!!
Kate Parker is the main character and her life is seemingly all going swimmingly - she's in a loving relationship with Nick who shares her passion for food and cooking (note - do NOT read this book on an empty stomach!!) and is settled in her work life, but that settled life is soon disrupted by Nick dropping a bombshell while they're away on holiday together and it leaves her feeling very unsettled and very down on life. She moves back in with her mum who is a completely different character to her - very outgoing and free-spirited - who tries setting her up with friends' sons and offering her the advice to stop being the victim and to move on with her life. Kate isn't so sure she's able to and still pines for her and Nick getting back together.
While she has some spare time, a friend gets her to volunteer at a local old people's home - Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies - which is full of some of the most wonderful characters, the most entertaining being 97 year old Cecily! She takes no prisoners and doesn't mince her words and seems to enjoy heckling Kate who takes on the role of cookery demonstrator! Despite their prickly start, they soon form such a wonderful friendship as Cecily takes on the role of life advisor, and lends her an amazing cookbook that combines recipes with great life advice and Kate starts taking the pages of the book to heart.
I loved the scenes between Kate and Cecily and think I need a Cecily in my life! She's wise, witty and wonderful! She shares her own life story with Kate, but also gets Kate to question her own life plan and pushes her to explore different things in life and to stop sitting around waiting for Nick to change his mind and to find her own worth.
What made this story even more touching was that the author based it on her own grandmother and it really added such a wonderful feel to the book, especially with the photos of her grandmother at the end. What a woman and what a story!!
July 22, 2020
This book was so cute. Took me awhile to finish it (six days) however it was none the less delightful. It’s a great book of unlikely friendships and the trials and tribulations of life, going out of your comfort zones and making yourself your priority. A lot easier said than done but the friendship between Cicely and Kate was so cute and progressed naturally. The end was predictable but had a pleasant surprise. A great read in between heavier reads, though the book is quite lengthy.
April 2, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies.
I love food and I love to eat, so I was excited when my request was approved.
The premise is formulaic; an almost 40 year old woman named Kate is slogging through life with a crappy job, narcissistic boyfriend and low self esteem.
When she meets a feisty, almost centenarian named Cecily, who has lived more lifetimes than Kate can count, Kate cleans up her life, her attitude and her behavior.
I didn't like Kate; I found her wishy washy, so desperate not to be alone that she would subject herself to be with a man who didn't respect her.
Cecily is your typical archetype of an elderly widow who has seen more of life most of us have only read about; she has no filter, has traveled across the world and back, and loved a man so deeply, there are no words to describe their love.
The recipes are delicious, Cecily's anecdotes and life recaps just as dramatic and life affirming as any reader would imagine.
But, the book was bogged down with filler, unnecessary filler; filler about Kate's dates with the pigeon, her unresolved issues with her mother, her work issues.
A hard edit of 50 pages, at least, would have made the pacing less slow since I found my attention wandering at times.
I did love the author's note on how she based Cecily on her amazing grandmother.
I never warmed up to Kate, but Cecily was full of life, personality and no regrets, exactly how I want to life my life.
I love food and I love to eat, so I was excited when my request was approved.
The premise is formulaic; an almost 40 year old woman named Kate is slogging through life with a crappy job, narcissistic boyfriend and low self esteem.
When she meets a feisty, almost centenarian named Cecily, who has lived more lifetimes than Kate can count, Kate cleans up her life, her attitude and her behavior.
I didn't like Kate; I found her wishy washy, so desperate not to be alone that she would subject herself to be with a man who didn't respect her.
Cecily is your typical archetype of an elderly widow who has seen more of life most of us have only read about; she has no filter, has traveled across the world and back, and loved a man so deeply, there are no words to describe their love.
The recipes are delicious, Cecily's anecdotes and life recaps just as dramatic and life affirming as any reader would imagine.
But, the book was bogged down with filler, unnecessary filler; filler about Kate's dates with the pigeon, her unresolved issues with her mother, her work issues.
A hard edit of 50 pages, at least, would have made the pacing less slow since I found my attention wandering at times.
I did love the author's note on how she based Cecily on her amazing grandmother.
I never warmed up to Kate, but Cecily was full of life, personality and no regrets, exactly how I want to life my life.
April 29, 2020
I couldn't finish this book. First, the way Kate was acting over Nick for at least the first quarter of the book was so grating. There were so many pages just full of her pining away at this man-child when she's well over old enough to know better. Second, the writing just fell flat to me. I wanted so many more descriptors of moments and things and got none. The book would have gone so much faster if we'd gotten a little blurb about Kate going through a breakup (or maybe not a breakup, a wobble, but she felt like it might have been a break, but what if it wasn't really?) and then focused on her relationship with Cecily. Cecily was the only reason I was keeping interest in this book but again the writing just lacked any kind of depth. When Kate and Cecily have their first one-on-one meeting, it was nothing but dry dialogue. There were no descriptors! How was Cecily looking at Kate? Listening to Kate? Did she fiddle with anything while she talked? Did her hands or body shake or tremble slightly from the Parkinson's? Did she scoff or grunt or roll her eyes? We'll never know because it was just line after line of:
"Hello"
"Hi"
"I hate your pie"
"Well why"
"I'm old and curmudgeonly."
"Why not give it a chance"
"I'd rather be dead in the morning"
On and on and on. I'm sorry, because I really wanted to like this book but I just could not.
"Hello"
"Hi"
"I hate your pie"
"Well why"
"I'm old and curmudgeonly."
"Why not give it a chance"
"I'd rather be dead in the morning"
On and on and on. I'm sorry, because I really wanted to like this book but I just could not.
May 24, 2020
What a cute story, and apparently I’m drawn to books with themes of friendships and food—which this book definitely has both of.
I had just come off a streak of suspenseful and fantasy reads when I picked up this book, and it was just the heartfelt read I was looking for. The characters have continued to stay with me even after finishing, which are signs of a great book!
Kate Parker is close to turning 40 and dating a guy named Nick Sullivan, but he couldn’t be more of a user. It’s here that she has to move back home with her Mom, and volunteers at a retirement home, Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies. What a delight! I adored Cecily, who is a 97-year-old resident, feisty, and full of wit and charm. If all grandmothers could aspire to be Cecily one day.
I highly recommend if you are looking for an uplifting read, with female friendship bonds, and a look at the life choices we must make.
*Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own
I had just come off a streak of suspenseful and fantasy reads when I picked up this book, and it was just the heartfelt read I was looking for. The characters have continued to stay with me even after finishing, which are signs of a great book!
Kate Parker is close to turning 40 and dating a guy named Nick Sullivan, but he couldn’t be more of a user. It’s here that she has to move back home with her Mom, and volunteers at a retirement home, Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies. What a delight! I adored Cecily, who is a 97-year-old resident, feisty, and full of wit and charm. If all grandmothers could aspire to be Cecily one day.
I highly recommend if you are looking for an uplifting read, with female friendship bonds, and a look at the life choices we must make.
*Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own
May 16, 2019
This is just a complete joy to read, I loved it! Cecily is such a fantastic character and the book has a comforting, happy feel to it although it did make me cry like a baby at one point. So wonderful to read about a feisty older woman for a change, and I definitely wish her cookery book really did exist, I'd definitely buy it! Reading the notes at the end and finding out that this wonderful character is based on a member of the author's own family was just the icing on the cake, her grandma sounds like quite a woman and the love the author felt for her is obvious and touching. One of my favourite reads so far this year.
April 4, 2020
A heartwarming novel about friendship, modern-day relationships, self-discovery, books and the comfort of food.
May 5, 2019
This is a truly beautiful book that I really enjoyed. I didn’t like Nicks character, I wanted to shout at him but I loved all the other characters. The growing friendship between Cecily and Kate was beautiful to read. The food sounded gorgeous and it all felt so real so I wasn’t at all surprised to discover the book is based on the life of a real Cecily.
This will be a book I read again and again.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.
This will be a book I read again and again.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.
February 22, 2019
Absolute perfection – I adored this book!
February 21, 2022
An unexpected delight!
June 4, 2021
While I consider this chicklit and it not being one of my fav genres, it was a very good story, and I bumped the rating up a half star for the back story of the author's grandmother.
April 20, 2021
Great premise- especially since it was based on the author’s own grandmother’s story and cookbook history. The irascible 97 year old Cecily is charmingly abrupt and definitely the star of the novel, steering the rather aimless “about to turn forty” Kate Parker out of her comfort zone, out of a dead end job and away from an insipid relationship. For me, I wanted more Cecily, less Kate Parker’s meandering and palaver and definitely much more of the recipes for “exceptional ladies”.
The ingredients were there. The end result was less memorable than I’d hoped for, though there were some lovely high spots with the endearingly difficult Miss Cecily and Kate’s tasty endeavours.
The ingredients were there. The end result was less memorable than I’d hoped for, though there were some lovely high spots with the endearingly difficult Miss Cecily and Kate’s tasty endeavours.
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