The Madhouse Cookbook

 

Title: The Madhouse Cookbook

By Jo Pratt

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The Gist:

This is a cookbook written by a British Food Host, and mother, with the intension of giving mom’s an easy way to cook good, healthy meals for their children, husbands, and even friends.  The book is split into three chapters, “Monday to Friday Survival,” “Busy Weekends,” and “Cling to Your Social Life.  It includes recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, and drinks.

What I thought:

 This is a wonderful concept for a cookbook!  As a mom of two little ones, I am constantly looking for ways to simplify meal preparation without sacrificing quality and taste.  Unfortunately, this was not the cookbook for me.  Perhaps it is because the author is British, or maybe my family just has much simpler taste, but most of the recipes in this book did not appeal to me...

For the sake of argument, I wrote out ingredients for a couple of recipes that had a few ingredients that I had never heard of, and was actually unable to find them in our small town grocery store.  There were a couple of recipes that I tried, that were big hits with my family, including the Broccoli, Mushroom and Parmesan Gnocchi, the Simple slow-roast Chicken dinner, and the Hot Fudge sauce (if you can find golden syrup)- yum!

Miss Pratt’s recipes are easy to follow, and it is very evident that she is a wonderful cook, it is just simply not my cup of tea (please excuse the pun).  If your family has an experimental palate, and you live in a place with access to a wide selection of grocery ingredients, you would probably get a lot of use out of this cookbook!

The Cottage on Juniper Ridge

 

Title: The Cottage on Juniper Ridge

By Sheila Roberts

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The Gist:

It all begins with a book... “Simplicity,” an easy idea, but a hard action.  This book is just the wake-up call that Jen Heath needs.  Upon reflection, she realizes that she is living to work, instead of working to live.  What better way to remedy the situation than to unload the unneeded pressures of a fancy condo, an unfulfilling job, and life the city, for a small, simple cottage in the idyllic small town?

What she discovers is that life is a lot better when you have time to form relationships with friends, tackle tasks that you have always wondered if you could do, and drool over your amazing fire-fighter landlord.  Join the newest member of the Icicle Falls community, and see how “Simplicity” changes the lives of the women in this town.

What I thought:

This was just the story that I’ve been needing!  First of all, the writing is beautiful!  Miss Roberts is amazing at capturing that warm feeling that comes from real, positive, female friendships.  She is one of those authors that is able to give readers the opportunity to seep into her pages and feel as though they are a part of, in this story, the book club. 

The characters in this story were so relatable and “alive,” and I really enjoyed watching how each person applied the concepts of “Simplicity” to their lives.  I found a piece of myself (and in doing so, a lesson that I am now trying to apply to my life) in each of these women, from the mother needing to learn to say no, to the woman who attached sentimentality to objects which were starting to take over her house and her life.  This novel made me really think about ways that I could cut back and simplify, leading to greater enjoyment of the things that truly matter.

I am so excited to have found this book, and I am even more excited to learn that it is part of a series!  I cannot wait to return to Icicle Falls, and discover more about these characters that I already feel that I know.  If you find yourself feeling stressed about getting everything done, and you enjoy good, happy stories full of friendship, family, and love, pick up this book!

Minding Molly

 

Title: Minding Molly

By Leslie Gould

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The Gist:

Molly Zook has always been an extremely dependable daughter, so when her father passes away unexpectedly, she takes on running the house and family flower farm.  Unfortunately, the flower farm is in danger of going under, and the only option seems to be for Molly to merge farms by marrying the neighbor boy, Mervin Mosier, who once courted her best friend Hannah.  As Molly considers marrying due to obligation, she is surprised to meet a newcomer from Montana, Leon Fisher, whom she immediately feels an intense spark of love with.

In true Mid-Summer’s Night fashion, the young Amish friends venture into the mountains for a camping trip, and chaos ensues.  Jealousy runs rampant, friendships are tested, and Molly must try to control her needs to control everyone around her.

Molly must learn to let go of the reigns, and put her faith in God, and realize that bumps and obstacles are a natural part of growing up.

What I thought:

This is the first book that I have read of Miss Gould’s and I enjoyed it very much.  It was different compared to other Amish fiction that I have read, which makes me wonder whether this author researched a more liberal ordnung, or whether this is more true to how young Amish adults behave.  Either way, it was an enjoyable read.

I found the concept of adapting Shakespearian plays into a modern day Amish setting to be very clever and fun, and I did feel as though this novel (which is part of a series) can easily be read as a stand-alone.  The character of Molly was a bit hard for me to handle, although the reasons made sense in the story.  Upon reflection, Molly was just over-compensating by trying to control everyone and everything since her life was going through a lot of difficult changes that she couldn’t control.

I very much enjoyed the theme of obligation vs. love, and thought that the timing of introducing Leon right as Molly seemed about to agree to marry without love was perfect.  Miss Gould writes with a beautiful lightness, and has the wonderful ability to keep readers turning the page to see how life turns out for her characters.  I cannot wait to check out the other books in the Courtships of Lancaster County series!

A Road Unknown

 

Title: A Road Unknown

By Barbara Cameron

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The Gist:

Elizabeth Bontrager is at the end of her rope, being the oldest of nine children in her Amish family, has taken a toll on her and left her feeling lost.  In a moment of strength, she decides to take her English pen pal up on her offer, and moves to Paradise, Pennsylvania to take her rumschpringe, and discover who she truly is.

Her journey introduces her to modern day conveniences, a new branch of her family that she didn’t know existed, and even dating, both in the Amish, and modern world.  Throughout this time, Elizabeth is faced with many difficult choices, the most challenging being the battle between family obligation, and personal happiness.  As she struggles with choosing which road to take, she must leave her life in God’s hands and trust that He will help her find her way.

What I thought:

I was so excited to see this new book by Barbara Cameron, my favorite author of Amish fiction, and even more thrilled to find that I would be returning to Paradise in this novel!  Miss Cameron always writes with heart, warmth, and values, and this story was no different.

This story grabbed me from the first page, watching a young woman who had missed out on the life that most people take for granted in order to help her mother with her siblings, break out on her own in order to discover her true path.  It was interesting seeing how Elizabeth adjusted to life with an English roommate, while holding tight to the values and the person that she is, and I love the mentions of familiar characters from the Quilts of Lancaster County and Stitches in Time Series!  My favorite aspect of this book was the repeating theme of the sparrow (His eye is on the sparrow), which hit home for me personally and filled me with a much-needed sense of peace, as I applied it to my life.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever struggled with difficult life choices, or who just wants a book that will touch their heart and make them feel good. 

Home to Seaview Key

 Title: Home to Seaview Key

By Sherryl Woods

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The Gist:

The last thing Abby Miller is looking for, when she returns home to Seaview Key, is the first thing that she finds.  From the moment that she meets Seth Landry, the handsome paramedic, she can’t help but feel a strong pull to another chance at love.

While Abby goes about doing the jobs that she came to do, giving back to the place that formed her, mending lost friendships, and rediscovering the person that she once was, she and Seth continue to circle each other, growing closer with each rotation. 

However, even when two people listen to their heads, and agree on a plan for friendship, the heart sometimes overrides logic.  These two wounded souls must decide whether a chance at something great is worth risking their hearts once again.

What I thought:

Smile.  It happens every time that I open a new Sherryl Woods novel, and this novel was no exception.  Miss Woods knows how to capture her readers and hold them in a warm, safe place as she tells tale after tale of family, friendship, and love. 

I had not read the first novel in this series, Seaview Inn, (although I have now made that purchase, and look forward to going back to Seaview Key), but I thought that this story read well as a stand alone novel.  I loved the character of Abby, she was strong and independent, but was always very understanding of everyone’s feelings, and never withheld forgiveness.  I also enjoyed watching Abby and Seth’s relationship build slowly through their friendship, creating an incredibly strong foundation for the future.

As I was reading this book, I felt that the ending was a little rushed.  Upon further reflection however, I wonder if it didn’t seem rushed because I simply wasn’t ready for the story to end.  I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys to read romantic stories that bring a smile to your face, and warm your heart.