The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

This past spring when the shortage of toilet paper and cleaning supplies had everyone in a mad dash to locate them and stock up, people had one very tiny look into what the British faced during the war and several years beyond with food scarcity and rationing.  This is the central theme of Jennifer Ryan’s (The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir and The Spies of Shilling Lane) new book The Kitchen Front, which is coming out from Ballantine in February 2021.

“The Kitchen Front” was an actual BBC radio show during the war, which helped housewives and cooks manage their food supplies and cook interesting and nutritious meals with what little they had.  In the novel, author Ryan imagines what would happen if the radio show looked for a woman who would join male broadcaster Ambrose Hart on air.  To select that person, there would be a cooking contest with three rounds featuring a starter, a main course, and a dessert, open to cooks with some professional cooking experience in Ambrose’s small village of Fenley.  

The four entrants are fierce competitors and all for varying reasons.  Baker Audrey Landon is a war widow who is just barely keeping ahead of loan payments for the house where she is raising her three sons; her estranged sister Lady Gwendoline Strickland, who is serving as a demonstrator for the Ministry of Food, is attempting to appease her demanding husband; kitchen maid Nell Brown is encouraged by her mentor Mrs. Quince, a revered but elderly country house cook whose health is failing; and Zelda Dupont, a displaced London chef who is trying to work her way back to the city and to a position as a head chef.

As each woman plans and prepares the three courses, readers are introduced to the immense challenges facing them with finding food, using substitutions, putting seasonal products and local harvests to use, and not exceeding the weekly rations.  Some of the recipes, included at the end of each cooking chapter, are mouth-watering, and Ryan describes the tastes, textures, and smells in loving detail.  Audrey’s Mushroom Soup and Fruit Scones are a couple I would want to try, but I would give a hard pass to Chef James’ Whale Meat and Mushroom Pie, and I almost gag even thinking about The Ministry of Food’s Sheep’s Head Roll.

One of the best things about the book is how the women choose their recipes, which come from a wide-ranging set of sources—like an ancient country house cookbook, a young Italian POW, or secretly enlisting a well-known London chef—and then how they go about finding their ingredients, which opens up a wonderful look at foraging for mushrooms, raising bees, buying from local vendors, and even making use of the black market.

The four women in this small village showcase varying degrees of status and experience of wartime Britain, and their personal lives bring challenges and strong rivalries.  How these are all worked out falls into the best traditions of homefront stories with small acts of courage and budding friendships.  

Jennifer Ryan is an impeccable researcher and works her wide range of WWII knowledge smoothly into the novel.  Inspired by many of her grandmother’s stories, she also has collected information from BBC archives, published histories, Ministry of Food pamphlets, cookbooks, recorded interviews, and diaries of daily lives in the Mass Observation project.  In addition, she consulted with home economists and cooks for testing the recipes and sharing details.  

This is a heartwarming story of female friendship, the strength of community, creativity driven by necessity, and overcoming odds during the worst of times.  

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an advance copy.

Snowy Christmas Fiction - New in 2020

 If you are dreaming of a white Christmas, these three novels of 2020 will provide you one.  Each is set in a northern climate that has its fair share of snow, a little bit of humor, a lot of romance and some interesting and extra-special seasonal decorations. (All published in October.)

Author Jenny Colgan can be counted on to provide a really solid story, and the holiday-themed Christmas at the Island Hotel (Mure #4; William Morrow, Oct. 20) is no exception.  You don’t need to read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one, set on the remote Scottish island of Mure, where Flora MacKenzie and her brother Fintan are almost set to open a new hotel in time for Christmas guests.  The people who help them bring this about include several islanders, a tattooed and contemptuous French chef, and one young man from Norway, exiled for his bad behavior and the need to grow up.  Each character faces personal challenges, and all are stressed by the Christmas preparations.  There are some tender moments, some soul-searching, some creativity involving a very special Christmas tradition, and some hilarious episodes including one featuring a kitchen, diners in the new hotel, and Bjark, an oversize and out-of-control dog.  This is a heart-warming but unsentimental Christmas story.

 

New fallen snow, soft homemade sweaters, mince pies, tartan blankets, fairy lights, baubles—these are the elements of a small village English Christmas.  While it would be enticing to step into this lovely scene, there are also slippery roads, some slipperier relationships and a few questionable partners in Kate’s The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss (G.P. Putnam, Oct 13).  Kate joins the exclusive holiday dating event which introduces her to men in a cocktail party, an escape room challenge, a gingerbread house contest and nine other Christmas-themed activities, but will any of these men she meets be the one that she can settle down with?  The problem is that Kate’s childhood friend, Matt, is dating another woman but keeps cropping up in her life and in her mind.  The book’s snowy setting is beautifully described, but for all its loveliness, the author keeps it real with some pretty ticklish situations.


 

There’s nothing like putting it all out there, and that’s what the residents of Moose Springs, Alaska do in the opening line of Sarah Morgenthaler’s second book in the series, Mistletoe and Mr. Right (Sourcebooks, Oct. 6).  The townies do NOT like Lana Montgomery’s plans for condos near the mountain resort overlooking their town, and they aren’t afraid to say so, but she is prepared to step up and show them how much the little Alaskan community means to her.  She and best friend Zoey are prepared to brave northern cold to track down the “Santa Moose” that is destroying the locals’ Christmas decorations.  She is also prepared to lend a hand to Rick Harding, a struggling business owner who is the exact opposite to her own confident, savvy and wealthy self.  More “rom” than “com,” this does have a couple funny scenes where the attire of the local animals gets out of hand.

 

 

These three books will provide an entertaining respite from holiday stresses.  Do you look for new holiday books to read each year or do you like to return to old favorites?

Many thanks to the publishers and Edelweiss for advance copies.

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

 “The landscape of my life is unrecognizable; Gifford Place doesn’t feel like home,” thinks Sydney Green, who has returned to her Brooklyn neighborhood after a failed marriage and some years away.  Things are changing on her street. The close community has been invaded by wealthy young white professionals who look down on the mostly older, black, economically struggling residents and are confrontational with others.  

Her anxiety about the street increases during a local walking tour when it becomes clear that the rich cultural heritage and black history of the area is completely overlooked and the tour guide dismisses the current vibrant tightly knit community.  In addition, Sydney is worried about her mother’s failing health and the untenable contract that her mother has signed while Sydney was gone.  All seems hopeless, and sleepless nights, too much alcohol, a childhood friendship going sour, add to her unease.  

Meanwhile, across the street, Theo, one of the white residents whose pony-tailed girlfriend Kim is one of the newcomer ringleaders, watches Sydney surreptitiously.  His own precarious situation with Kim has him in a kind of purgatory, trapped in a house that he poured all his savings into with a girlfriend who is more past than present and probably with a new man.  Theo becomes interested in the other residents of the street and attends a neighborhood meeting for the longstanding block party.  

Although Sydney is highly skeptical of Theo’s interest, she accepts his help as she is determined to highlight the history of the area by creating her own walking tour.  They start an uneasy relationship that expands beyond the historical research into trying to figure out what has happened to Mr. Perkins, “the mayor of Gifford Place,” and his dog Count, to the families who seem to leave in the night, to the abandoned hospital that has unexplained lights and activity, and to Sydney’s best friend who ghosts her.  

When No One Is Watching is a thriller on steroids.  It has all the elements of a classic thriller, such as the down-and-out protagonists, multiple points of view (which may or may not be reliabe), propulsive plot, escalating suspense,  danger, characters who question their sanity.  It introduces some new things into this scheme that make it absolutely terrifying and incredibly timely.  Terrifying, because it proposes ideas that could be all too true regarding the gentrification of urban, predominately Black neighborhoods, and timely, because in 2020, we have witnessed by video the unjust and merciless tactics used against people of color.  There are many sub-genres of thrillers; welcome to the new social thriller, with a title here that would be excellent for discussion. 

Alyssa Cole is a prolific author, and this is her first thriller.  The book has been optioned for film, and in a recent interview, she says that she has many more ideas for thrillers, historicals and her popular romance series.  Read on!

This new title is out today, September 1.  Thanks to William Morrow and Edelweiss for an advance copy.

All Stirred Up by Brianne Moore

New author Brianne Moore uses Jane Austen’s Persuasion as a starting point for her novel set in contemporary Edinburgh, Scotland.  Knowing that, you will realize that the cute cover is attractive but doesn't catch the more somber tone of the story that focuses on two former lovers who, in the intervening years, have moved on in some major ways but not in others.

Susan Napier hopes to pull her family back from the brink of bankruptcy by consolidating their remaining funds and concentrating on the formerly upscale Elliot’s restaurant in Edinburgh.  The smaller, more provincial city is below the expectations of her pretentious father and her society sister, but it is a more manageable place for them to be.  It also helps that Susan can assist her younger, hypochondriacal sister with her young family.  If nothing else, Susan is a calm and constant force in a family of demanding and unrealistic tendencies. 

Unfortunately, what Susan encounters when she arrives at Elliot’s is not the reputable establishment she was expecting.  Made famous by her grandfather, the family had added to their restaurant empire with the London location, and things in Scotland are diminished.  So, in addition to dealing with the lavish lifestyle of her family and the imagined ill health of her sister, Susan needs to take drastic action against the surly chef and sous chef, two obvious slackers, currently operating Elliot’s. 

Added to her burdens is the opening of a new and talked-about restaurant by Chris Baker, her grandfather’s protege and now a celebrity chef home from America.  Chris is also the man her family felt was not her equal and who she awkwardly cast aside without explanation years before.  She may have cut the ties, but the emotional ones are painfully evident to her.

Chris and Susan come face-to-face on a local cooking challenge where a famous blogger has sniffed out their past history and believes he’ll have a big scoop.  Still stinging from the rejection years before, Chris alternates between snarky comments and caring encouragement.

The kitchen settings and baking scenes are fascinating, helped along by intriguing minor characters.  In addition, the tour of Edinburgh and the happenings during festival season make an appealing backdrop for this story. 

After re-reading several Austen novels recently, I’ve been struck how the male protagonists are often foils for weak and deficient fathers or mismatched suitors.  This is revealed during the story, and this is done here in some charming ways.  It's a solid read, in the upper echelons of Austen adaptations but also enjoyable if you know nothing about Persuasion. Some early reviewers were put off by a few of the minor characters--but have you ever read the original? There are some real pains in that novel!  This is entertaining, whether you see the Austen connections or not.

Published September 8 by Alcove Press/Random House.  

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy. 

His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie

My reading tends to be very American/British oriented, often from a white point-of-view, so I am trying to find new voices and visions.  A new book that I loved, coming out on September 1, is Peace Adzo Medie’s His Only Wife, set in present-day Ghana.  It’s the story of a young woman of limited means and hopes whose fortunes seemingly change when she accepts an arranged marriage to the wealthy son of a local woman she calls “Aunty.”

Afi Tekple is a seamstress who is working on setting up her own small business in the little town of Ho.  Her closest relative is her mother, although she is surrounded by an extended family who look out for her in varying degrees, and she and her mother are part of her oldest uncle’s household.  Based on the cultural traditions, Uncle Pious is considered her father after the death of her own father, and she has many siblings from his multiple wives.  Her friend, Muwasi, shares all her secrets and encourages Afi to start her new life when it is offered to her.

As Afi tells it in the opening sentence, “Elikem married me in absentia; he did not come to our wedding.”  So begins Afi’s new life, described to her by her new in-law’s as being difficult by Eli’s “woman,” who they promise will soon be gone, and romanticized by her friend.  Her new apartment in Accra is certainly many steps above her humble beginnings in Ho, and she is elated to be able to apprentice in the workshop of a leading designer.  Her sister-in-law and brothers-in-law help her acclimate as she waits to meet her absent husband. 

Although this book has been described as “hilarious” and similar to Kevin Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians, I find that these comparisons miss the mark.  This is a serious look at economic status, marriage, and women’s rights in a story that you just can’t put down.  Afi’s Uncle Pious is infuriating with his familial demands for money, which he views as a right, but Afi’s new mother-in-law is also demanding in other ways.  Afi’s developing relationship with Eli is compelling and certainly romantic, but there are problems behind this new glamor. 

I cheered on Afi, who is young and naive and determined to find her own way in a place that challenges her difficult decisions to live life on her terms. Her story is by turns heartbreaking, hopeful and inspirational.  I especially enjoyed the look into the culture of Ghana, the lives of people in small towns and big cities, the descriptions of food, the lifestyles of the newly rich, and the changing expectations of new generations,  I’m looking forward to future books by this author, and I hope one of those might be Afi's continuing story! 

Thanks to Algonquin Books and Edelweiss for an advance copy.

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

Fiona Davis takes iconic New York City buildings and creates richly-imagined stories around them: the Barbizon Hotel for Women in The Dollhouse, The Dakota apartment building in The Address, The Grand Central Terminal in The Masterpiece, and the Chelsea Hotel in The Chelsea Girls.  Her new book, coming out on August 4, brings to life the grand New York Public Library building, weaving together two stories of the people in it.

The first story takes place in the early 1900s when Laura and Jack Lyons and their two children live in the library building for Jack’s caretaking job there.  (While this family is completely fictional, there actually was an apartment in the building used formerly by the library’s superintendents.)  Jack is an aspiring author, and in his off-duty hours, he is completely immersed in  writing a novel.  Laura and their two children make themselves at home as best as possible in the immense and majestic halls of the building, open all day to scholars and readers and quiet as a tomb at night.  Laura has her own aspirations, and she follows her dream of entering the Columbia School of Journalism and becoming a reporter. 

The second story takes place in the early 1990s and features a librarian for the Berg Collection, the world-class research library within this building that contains original manuscripts from authors like Edgar Allen Poe and William Shakespeare as well as memorabilia and oddities belonging to famous writers, such as Charles Dickens' cat paw letter opener.  Sadie Donovan, slightly awkward but completely competent, is thrilled when she is put in charge of highlighting this collection in an upcoming special exhibit.

Both the Lyons and Sadie’s lives at the library are tainted by missing or stolen books and suspicions of their involvement in their loss, but their lives are also entwined in other ways.  The mysteries of the books’ disappearances makes for compelling reading and allows for wonderful behind-the-scenes looks at the library and its system of dumbwaiters along with the marvelous architectural beauties of the place.  Adding to the depth of the story is Laura’s involvement in the bohemian Heterodoxy Club for women and the discussion of the roles and expectations of women, both in 1914 and in the 1990s. 

The enjoyable thing about Davis’ books is the mix of mystery, history, architecture, and societal issues.  Here, there is a certain amount of suspense, some lovely interludes about the music scene in New York enjoyed by Sadie as an escape from her life, and a burly but surprisingly tender detective. 

If you want to know more about this special library, it’s easy to do so at the New York Public Library website where an excellent page of “facts” can start you down the rabbit hole of exploration.  https://www.nypl.org/about/locations/schwarzman/facts


Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss and Netgalley for advance copies.

The Switch by Beth O'Leary

Last year, I fell in love with a debut novel called The Flatshare, which was a lovely and very creative story about two people who come together despite themselves.  With its quirkiness, humor, and unusual plot, it was vastly compelling and entertaining reading.  When the author’s  second book was announced, I wondered if she had the ability to pull it off again—not the same story but the same characteristics as the first.  The result is The Switch, publishing on August 18.

When grief overwhelms 29-year-old Leena and she needs a break from her hectic life in London, and her 79-year-old grandmother Eileen wants something more exciting than her current existence in small village Yorkshire, they decide to switch places for two-months time.  Leena agrees to take over all the volunteer jobs her grandmother ably does, while Eileen grabs at a chance of later life romance and signs up on a dating site.  What could go wrong? 

The fun thing from the start is that you expect that maybe younger Leena will succeed and older Eileen will flounder, but that isn’t the way that it actually happens.  Leena finds that her grandmother’s volunteer jobs are much trickier than she expects, and her first episode of dogwalking for a good-looking local teacher’s exuberant dog is downright embarrassing.  Meanwhile, Eileen takes on the dating world with confidence and flair. 

In addition, both women take to their new surroundings and develop friendships with disparate groups of people, who pose problems for their counterparts, but who benefit from the new friendships of granddaughter and grandmother.  Surprisingly, things that are "wrong" seem to have a way of making themselves right with the sheer exuberance and determination of these two women.

The many things I liked about the author's first book are in evidence here--a creative plot, well-defined and unusual characters, humor, and loads of entertainment value.  The author juggles the emotions and stages of grief with aplomb and ably writes about family estrangement, and this is the darker side that gives this book heft.  The sense of community that these two women bring to their new locations is especially heart-warming in these divisive times.

In an interview through Macmillan, author Beth O’Leary talked about how time spent with her grandmother inspired the character of Eileen for this book.  As a tribute to her grandmother, she created an older woman who was at the start of her adventures, and for this portrayal of an "active elder," she is to be commended.  In the interview, she also mentioned that she often says, in response to her friend’s observation about embarrassing moments, “this will be in a book some day.” In fact, it sounds like her own exuberant dog gave her some good ideas about a dog walk gone bad. 

The interview also revealed that she is at work on a third book called The Road Trip about two-days’ time spent with the worst possible combination of people—the ex-boyfriend, his best friend, and a “motley” collection of others.  Based on her first two books, this will be another treat.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for an advance copy of The Switch.