Anyone who enjoys watching shows about food and chefs (there are so many!) will want to give this food and chef based story a look. It features two people who come together because of their cooking. Find out what brought them together and how each helps the other while also learning the characters’ back stories.
Readers will want the best for these two!
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this title. All thoughts are my own.
Pub date: 15 April 2025
From the publisher:
Description
For everyone who loved The Bear! An utterly winning, crowd-pleaser of a novel about a disgraced celebrity chef, her striving protégé, and their path through the kitchen to redemption.
Regina Benuzzi is Queenie B—a culinary goddess with Michelin Star restaurants, a bestselling cookbook empire, and multimillion-dollar TV deals. It doesn’t hurt that she’s gorgeous and curvaceous, with cascading black hair and signature red lips.
She had it all. Until she didn’t.
After an epic fall from grace, Queenie B vanishes from the public eye, giving up everything: her husband, her son, and the fame that she’d fought to achieve. Her shows are in rerun, her restaurants still popular, but her disappearance remains a mystery to her legions of fans.
Local line cook Gale Carmichael also knows a thing or two about disaster. Newly sober and struggling, Gale’s future dreams don’t hold space for culinary stardom; only earning enough to get by. Broke at the end of the week, he finds himself at a local soup kitchen in one of the roughest parts of New Haven, Connecticut. But Gale quickly realizes that the food coming out of the kitchen is not your standard free meal—it is delicious and prepared with gourmet flair.
Gale doesn’t recognize Regina, the soup kitchen’s cranky proprietor, whose famous black mane is now streaked with gray. It’s been more than ten years since Queenie B vanished into her careful new existence. But she sees Gale’s talent and recognizes a brokenness in him that she knows all too well. The culinary genius in hiding takes him under her wing.
Teaching Gale, Regina’s passion to create is reignited, and they both glimpse a shot at the redemption that had always seemed out of reach. When Gale is chosen to compete on the hit cooking show, Cut!, it’s a turning point for them both.
It’s Gale’s time to shine. And that means Queenie B might just have to come out of hiding…
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Charming…DeFino skillfully weaves Gale’s and Regina’s stories, revealing how both have sabotaged themselves out of a fear of losing control. It’s an immersive tour through the highs and lows of a chef’s life.” — Publishers Weekly
The Memory Gardener was just the kind of book that I was looking for. I wanted something with a nice setting, good characters and some hope in the plot. Note that plots of the gardening as well as the fictional are a part of the story. There is also a bit of magical realism with the main character having a special connection to scents.
Lucy had fled her small hometown after a personal tragedy. She has been living a peripatetic existence since then working as a garden restorer but moving on as each project is completed. However, Lucy has returned home to her widowed father as the story starts.
Lucy finds an ad that leads her to her next position which is fixing the neglected gardens of a senior residence. Lucy believes that her deceased mom has led her here.
Both Lucy and the reader meet many of the residents and staff of the home where Lucy becomes a change agent. All of the characters also spend time with Lucy’s delightful dog named Gully.
Lucy has a gift for recognizing scents that bring back memories for people. This once backfired spectacularly so it is only with great caution that Lucy shares scents with some of the elderly at the home. For instance, Mr. Fitz reconnects with his love of taking photos after smelling something that leads to reminiscing.
In addition to the characters mentioned above, Lucy meets a young widower and his electively mute daughter. Gully and she connect. Readers will hope that Lucy and Adam do as well.
All seems to be going along nicely until Lucy learns why she is really at the home. Will things work out? Readers will definitely hope so.
Those looking for a gentle yet engaging read will, I hope, enjoy this title as much as I did.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 25 November 2025
From the publisher:
Lucy Barnes is a gardener with an uncanny ability to know exactly which scent among her flowers will illuminate to a person a key from their past that might change their future. Sadly, after a tragedy ten years ago, she no longer uses her gift and has fled her hometown.
But six months after her mother’s death, Lucy awakens to find her mother’s unmistakable scent drifting over her, and she knows that she is being called home. And when a mysterious note leads her to take a job as the gardener at the Oceanview Home, a senior-living residence, Lucy finds herself wondering if there is more to her gift—and her mother’s past—than she ever knew.
Her work among the lush gardens of Oceanview Home soon awakens the entire community, unearthing memories that will forever change all who cross Lucy’s path. But not everyone is happy to see how her presence has transformed the Oceanview Home, and when a secret comes to light that threatens to shatter the entire community, the future suddenly looks uncertain. Have the memories that Lucy has unearthed awakened something wonderful…or are some memories better left buried?
About the Author
Meg Donohue is the USA TODAY bestselling author of You, Me, and the Sea; Every Wild Heart; Dog Crazy; All the Summer Girls; How to Eat a Cupcake; and The Memory Gardener. Her novels have been translated into Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish. Meg has an MFA from Columbia University and a BA from Dartmouth College. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she now lives in San Francisco with her husband, three daughters, and dog. She is working on her next novel.
Cut to the chase…there is a rumor that Maria Capello cooked her husband in one of her recipes. Pretty gruesome, but did she? If you wonder, this may be the book for you.
Maria’s husband was a talented chef. His belongings were found along with a note, indicating the possibility of suicide. Did he kill himself, did Maria (as noted above) or did something else entirely happen? Turn the pages to find out.
Protagonist Thea had an absent mother and a father who came in and out of her life randomly. For a sense of security, Thea always watched Maria Capello’s cooking show. It offered comfort, taught her recipes, and even fostered an introduction to her husband.
Thea was on the verge of losing her job but, for some reason, Maria wants her to edit her new book. It is all very top secret. Thea does not know why she was chosen. Will she have been right to accept the job? It leads to her isolation on an estate.
In addition to the main story line, I liked how the author showed Thea’s home life with its daily relationship and parenting frustrations. I also liked how she made a Brooklyn neighborhood come to life.
All in all, worth a look for those who can take some horror. Not so sure for myself. Be aware that it becomes creepy.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this title. All opinions are my own.
Chloe has a lot on her plate. She has taken on the responsibility for her younger siblings and has therefore disrupted her career plans. Rather than being a full blown librarian, she works in a library doing a variety of more menial tasks.
One day, Chloe is asked to clean out the books that are to be discarded by the library. She makes a few finds while there. One is a trove of Harlequin romances that her friend wants for her grandmother (Chloe agrees to sneak them out). The other find is a former banned book that may be worth enough to make a difference for Chloe. She takes it.
Chloe later finds that this book has writing in the margins. Much as in The Book Swap, the messages have significance. Someone offers to buy the book; why does he especially want it?
How will lives change? Will characters grow? Find out in this story that takes place in more than one time frame.
I always am drawn to books about books so I was eager to read this one.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for this title. All opinions are my own.
Here is a book that home cooks will enjoy as the weather gets colder. With more than 300 recipes, there is so much to choose from. Recipes are sorted by categories such as Pasta, Noodles & Dumplings; Vegetables; Poultry; Chilled Soups & Desserts, and more.
The photos made me hungry. The recipes seemed easy enough to follow. There is information on how long each one will take to prepare, ingredients are listed on the left hand side of the page, and the recipe is on the right.
Note too that there is much helpful information in the beginning section of the book.
This book will make a welcome addition to a cookbook shelf. It would also make a nice gift. At close to 500 pages, there is much to enjoy.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 11 November 2025
From the Publisher:
Unlock the hearty and comforting world of soups and stews with this encyclopedic cookbook.
This cookbook offers an extensive collection of 300+ nourishing recipes for every season. Dive into a rich tapestry of flavors, from classic favorites like French onion soup and beef stew to exciting new twists with spicy ramen bowls and creamy chowders. Perfect for both culinary novices and experienced chefs, these recipes come with easy-to-follow instructions and expert tips to ensure success in every bowl.
Inside you’ll discover:
Over 300 recipes for soups and stews that span the globe
Gorgeous full-color photographs to inspire your culinary creations
Techniques for elevating your soups and stews to new levels of deliciousness
Whether you’re preparing a cozy weeknight dinner or a celebratory feast, this book will be your go-to guide for crafting meals that bring people together. Embrace the warmth and satisfaction of creating soul-soothing dishes with every recipe.
#TheMetHokusai #NetGalley Pub date: 30 November 2021
This series of books for children is published in conjunction with New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Each entry is beautifully illustrated and gives a sense of the artist’s spirit and sensibility. This time the artist featured is a well-known Japanese one.
Even as an adult who has taken art history classes, I learned new things in reading this title. For example, the artist changed his name many times, lived to a rather old age and was interested not only in Japanese art.
Children will learn that Hokusai was adopted, that he studied with many artists and that he constantly wanted to improve. They will see that he was an artist who developed his own style during a time when there was much conformity in Japan.
The author invites children in. She offers them art projects that they might want to explore. As in the other volumes, there are some special sections at the end of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this enjoyable title. All opinions are my own.
There is much to enjoy in this first (but hopefully not last) novel by Eliza Reid. The characters are interesting, the plot is intriguing, the author knows Iceland (the setting) very well and the pages turn.
This is a story that is set in an isolated location so it reminds me of Agatha Christie’s writing. That said, this book has its own take and authorial voice. Observe as Jane tries to sort things out. Readers will be glad that they did.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 13 May 2025
About the book:
One of them is about to die.
A group of international players has gathered in a tiny village off the coast of Iceland for a diplomatic dinner. There’s Kristján, the mayor reeling from a personal tragedy. Graeme, the ambassador with an agenda to push. Jane, his wife, along for the ride on another one of her husband’s many business trips. And several others, from Iceland and from abroad, each with their own reason for being there, their own loyalties and grievances. By the end of the night, one of them will be dead. And it will be up to the ambassador’s wife, Jane, to figure out how—and why.
What Jane soon comes to realize is that small communities can be the most dangerous of them all… and no one in their group is safe. With secrets around every corner and violent weather trapping the finite list of suspects together on the island, this locked-room mystery by internationally bestselling author Eliza Reid brings Agatha Christie and Nordic noir together in a brand-new twist.
More From the Publisher:
The author:
Eliza Reid is a bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, cofounder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat and former first lady of Iceland. She was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Iceland for over twenty years. Eliza’s first book, Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland’s Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, was an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Pick, and translated into numerous languages. Her first novel, an Iceland-set mystery called Death on the Island (Death of a Diplomat in the UK) was an instant USA Today bestseller, an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, and has been optioned for television in a pre-empt deal.
From 2016 to 2024, Eliza served in the unofficial role of First Lady while her husband was President of Iceland, during which time she served as patron of numerous organizations and was named a United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. She continues to speak at conferences and events around the world, delivering inspiring keynotes on topics relating to gender equality, how to make an impact when you’re not in charge, and storytelling for social change. A memoir of her time in the role is set for publication in spring 2026.
Some authors on this title:
“With its twisty Golden Age plot and a fascinating Nordic Noir setting, this novel is perfect for lovers of each.” — ANN CLEEVES, New York Times bestselling author
“I loved this book. Eliza Reid is so assured in her plot and characters that it’s hard to believe this is her first novel. Death on the Island is compulsive and propulsive reading. Not only wonderfully evocative of a little-known area of Iceland, it is also surprising, with twists even a seasoned crime reader won’t see coming. A brilliant debut, that promises more to come.” — LOUISE PENNY, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Grey Wolf
When readers who have heard of Dorothy Parker think of her, they often imagine her at the Algonquin Hotel issuing bon mots. Sarcastic and seemingly in possession of herself, many envied her. However, this historical novel about Dorothy and some of her friends and acquaintances reveals that she had many reasons to feel unsettled and unhappy. The support of three friends helped her to get through.
Early in this novel readers learn that Dorothy is having trouble finding work. She is also having many difficulties in her marriage; her husband came back from WWI a changed (and unpleasant) man. Dorothy’s friends include Jane, a newspaper reporter; Winifred who is an actress and, Peggy who works at a magazine. They form a bridge group where they not only learn to play cards but reflect on life.
These characters are surrounded by many men. They include those who spent time at the Algonquin. All are men of their time and their treatment of women is often condescending.
Will these friends find their happy/happier endings? Find out in this well written work of historical fiction.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this title. All opinions are my own.
Authors Kat Hillis and Rosiee Thor make their Berkley debut with DEAD & BREAKFAST (Berkley Trade Paperback Original; on sale October 14, 2025), a hilarious breakout paranormal mystery perfect for fans of Auralee Wallace, Jenna Levine and Jesse Q. Sutanto. Gilmore Girls meets What We Do in the Shadows in this delightfully cozy next gen mystery following two vampire husbands who are embroiled in a murder scandal when the town’s mayor is found dead in the garden of their quaint bed & breakfast.
Trying to convince their small town’s paranormal-averse residents to patron their B&B is already a pain in the neck, but when one of them is implicated in the mayor’s death, Arthur and Sal must sink their teeth into solving a murder. Along the way, they enlist the help of a werewolf barista, the elven town coroner, and a very human city manager, delivering a paranormal romp with plenty of humor and heart.
This delightful small-town mystery is sure to appeal to the inner child in all of us that wishes we could climb into the world of Halloweentown. Readers will be charmed by the steadfast and loving bond between Sal and Arthur and the strong themes of found family and acceptance.
More About the Book:
In DEAD & BREAKFAST, all Arthur wants is to settle into a quiet afterlife, while his husband Salvatore seems to be made for the spotlight. They’ve compromised by becoming the new proprietors of a bed & breakfast in the idyllic, if not-so-paranormal-friendly, town of Trident Falls, Oregon. Hoping to make a good impression on their new neighbors, Arthur and Sal are thrilled when they receive their first customer—but slightly less thrilled when the mayor’s body is discovered in their begonias with what look suspiciously like fang bites on his neck.
Ever the pragmatist and determined to prove their innocence, Arthur begins his own amateur investigation. But when a new victim is attacked, Arthur and Sal will have to race to prove they aren’t literally out for blood…unless it was ethically sourced, of course!
About the Authors
Kat Hillis is an author of queer speculative fiction full of silly jokes and twisty plots. A southerner now living in Alabama, she’s a lifelong fan of vampires, murder, and puns. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s gaming, drawing, or making handcrafted soaps.
Rosiee Thor began their career as a storyteller by demanding to tell their mother bedtime stories instead of the other way around. Now, they write stories for all ages, including young adult novels Tarnished Are The Stars and Fire Becomes Her, the picture book The Meaning of Pride, and tie-in novels for franchises like Life is Strange and Firefly. They live in Oregon with two cats, a dog, and an abundance of plants.
How it starts:
With thanks to the publisher:
Chapter 1
The lobby of the Iris Inn was dead, but, then, so were its owners. Arthur sat rigid at the front desk, eyes trained on the entrance, waiting. He didn’t strictly mind the quiet of an empty house-all the better to hear his own thoughts-but it had been quiet for so very long. Though time’s significance was beginning to slip through Arthur’s immortal fingers, it had not yet lost all meaning. So, when the front door of the old refurbished grange hall creaked open, he was glad for the interruption. A guest. At last.
The cheerful brunette had only one suitcase. A carry-on. Gray. The woman wouldn’t be staying in Trident Falls more than a night or two, by Arthur’s estimation. He wrote as much on the fluorescent pink Post-it note pressed against the oak paneling of the front desk.
“Welcome to the Iris Inn. Do you have a reservation?” She didn’t, but Arthur liked to ask all the same. It granted their little establishment an air of importance it hadn’t otherwise earned.
The woman smoothed her pressed blue blazer as she approached the counter. She wore sensible flats and an ivory satin blouse that played nicely against her medium-brown skin, and her hair was cropped and worn natural to frame her round face in tiny curls. Not exactly the rumpled and travel-worn type of guest he imagined would be the Iris Inn’s usual customer-if their bed-and-breakfast ever became successful enough to have customers, plural.
“Oh no. I’m sorry. I didn’t think to call ahead.” The wheels of her suitcase clicked along the hardwood floor as she approached the desk. “Mr. Roth seemed sure you’d have room for me.”
Arthur raised an eyebrow at the mention of Trident Falls’ inept excuse for a mayor and bent his head to check his nonexistent calendar for nonexistent bookings.
The suitcase squeaked to a halt as the woman compressed the handle.
Arthur turned his attention to the sticky note where, under the word suitcase, he wrote old.
“We should be able to find room for you.” Arthur eyed her bag warily. No one stayed in Trident Falls for long if they could help it, but that wasn’t going to stop him from trying. He gestured to the stack of tourism brochures on the desk, boldly displaying a fuzzy photo obviously taken in the previous millennium of a smiling family carrying backpacks in front of a fluorescent orange tent. “Perhaps you’d enjoy a day hike to the falls.”
About the Authors
Kat Hillis is an author of queer speculative fiction full of silly jokes and twisty plots. A southerner now living in Alabama, she’s a lifelong fan of vampires, murder, and puns. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s gaming, drawing, or making handcrafted soaps.
Rosiee Thor began their career as a storyteller by demanding to tell their mother bedtime stories instead of the other way around. Now, they write stories for all ages, including young adult novels Tarnished Are The Stars and Fire Becomes Her, the picture book The Meaning of Pride, and tie-in novels for franchises like Life is Strange and Firefly. They live in Oregon with two cats, a dog, and an abundance of plants.
My thoughts:
I read many mysteries but had never encountered protagonists like Arthur and Sal or read a paranormal mystery. That said, I very much liked the two who, although vampires, face many issues that anyone might, along with some extra complications. Their wish for a home is something that is easy to relate to. Add to this some murder and mayhem, and those who like this sub-genre will be delighted, I think.
I loved the title of this story. I hope that it is the first in a series.
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for this title and opportunity.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 