I love reading Veronica Henry books and this one was not a disappointment. It has everything; love, passion, history, friendship and of course, new beginnings. I really enjoyed this novel and found it hard to put down. It has realistic characters and situations that give rise to a variety of emotions. Fabulous summer read!

I really enjoy Veronica's books, they are always a great read with strong women at their heart and a really strong family in the background of the stories. A Family Recipe is another such book and has been cleverly told in two timelines. Veronica writes in such a great way, her stories are easy to read but always have a clear message. Veronica has written for a number of television series and whenever I pick up her latest title I can see the characters and the story unfolding before my eyes - I really hope that this (or any of her back list) are taken up by a production company.

Jill is the main character of the book and we meet her in 1942, in wartime England, where she has lost love ones and again in the modern day, along with her grand daughter Laura, who is suffering from empty nest syndrome as her children leave home to go to university. Both ladies turn to cooking and the story is told alongside their family recipe books which are stored in a box and come out in times of need.

A Family Recipe is a great story, with strong characters and a believable story. The recipes and foods that are described in the book all sound gorgeous and I will be investigating some of them further. This is a great book to read over the summer months, and I am sure there will be lots of family recipe chutneys and jams at the many summer fayres over the summer months to enjoy while reading it.

Another great read from Veronica - can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to the publishers, Orion Books, for sending me this book to review.

This is a beautiful, heartwarming book.
Flitting between WW2 and the present day, lots of food and amazing, female characters.
A great summer read, this is my first book from Veronica but it won't be my last. Thank you for the advanced reading opportunity.

Laura is about to feel the empty nest syndrome when she takes her daughter off to start university ......but things get a whole lot worse when she finds out her husband's secret! Jilly is Laura's grandmother and has her own little house in Laura's garden. Jilly grew up in the main house during the war and in a dual timeline we start to hear of the exploits of Jilly and her best friend Ivy all interweaved with the old family recipes.

A lovely book with some great characters, especially Ivy so right for the age and time, and the dual timeline works well with the storyline drawing you in to both eras. I love all the books by this author and this one certainly doesn't disappoint

I loved this book....Veronica paints a wonderfully heartwarming picture full of a diverse range of characters . A great book just to sit and relax with, perfect holiday read.

Number 11 Lark Hill is about to become very lonely, a house that is usually bustling with friends and family and some delicious meal bubbling away on the Aga. Laura is anxious in the lead up to the nest being left empty, but tries to look on the bright side of more alone time with her husband, Dom.

But when a secret is exposed Laura feels the very foundations of her marriage are shaken. Feeling at a loss she turns to the box of family recipes, a treasured collection dating back beyond the Second World War. With a little encouragement Laura starts a venture that might help her discover who she is without being a mother and wife.

Can Laura conjure up a little bit of Blitz spirit and forge a new life for herself?

In the past I have found myself left a little disappointed with some of Henry’s novels. However, A Family Recipe was a complete hit. This was due, in part, to the dual narrative. Set in Bath and told across two timelines, one in the present day the other in 1942 during the Blitz. I am a huge lover of historical fiction, in particular WW2, and I felt this really added something extra special to the chick-lit genre.

The main protagonists Laura and Kanga, were both a little soft around the edges to start with but in their own ways, and respective circumstances, they soon found their gumption.

It was a simple story, nothing to keep you guessing or twists and turns. Just a pleasant family orientated read, perfect for your summer holidays!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. How I love this authors books and this one was no exception. a great feel good easy read. Would recommend.

This was a really enjoyable read.
A heart-warming family saga that goes through several times from 1942 to now following the stories of the people who live at 11 Larkhill and all the the things that they have to face.

As usual, a wonderful read, about two generations and the second world war. Ivy and Jilly (later known as Kanga) are firm friends, and when Jilly parents die in the Blitz on Bath, Ivy helps her to cope. They take in a homeless family with 3 children, and manage to keep them all fed, and happy, using her mothers' recipe box.
Later, Kanga takes in her own grandaughter, after her mother dies, and raises her as her own. Eventually Laura marries an architect, Dominic,and he rebuilds some older properties in Bath, but financially overstretches himself, and has an affair with one of his legal advisiors.
When they are taking one of their daughters to univertsity in York, Laura finds out accidentaly and leaves him.
She thinks she cannot do anything with her life, but bravely starts a new life, with two empty rooms at the top of the house, let on Airbnb and makes jams, pickles and preserves to sell on the local market.
The Dom has a heart attack, and nearly dies. However, alls well that ends well.
A thoroughly entertaining and well written novel, with some amazing and original characters. Thank you to Net Galley, and the publishers for allowing me to read this .book.

A really enjoyable read with an unusual story line where everything is not hearts and roses. So many of us have been in Laura's position and its lovely to see how someone copes despite doubting her abilities.

What's the secret ingredient to your happiness?

Laura Griffin is preparing for an empty nest. The thought of Number 11 Lark Hill falling silent - a home usually bustling with noise, people and the fragrant smells of something cooking on the Aga - seems impossible. Laura hopes it will mean more time for herself, and more time with her husband, Dom.

But when an exposed secret shakes their marriage, Laura suddenly feels as though her family is shrinking around her. Feeling lost, she turns to her greatest comfort: her grandmother's recipe box, a treasured collection dating back to the Second World War. Everyone has always adored Laura's jams and chutneys, piled their sandwiches high with her pickles . . . Inspired by a bit of the old Blitz spirit, Laura has an idea that gives her a fresh sense of purpose.

Full of fierce determination, Laura starts carving her own path. But even the bravest woman needs the people who love her. And now, they need her in return . . .

I’m not very keen on historical novels, so when the book started in 1944 I thought I’m not going to enjoy this at all. But unusually I was wrong. This book is about love, heartbreak and life in general which is the same in whatever age you are in.

This is a lovely feel good novel and I will be looking for more books from this author. 5*

Compelling family tale

On a Saturday evening in 1942, after having supper with her parents, Jilly creeps out of the house to meet up with a young would-be pilot; that night the Germans drop their bombs on Bath, and her parents are killed, leaving Jilly with terrible grief and survivor guilt.

Her friend Ivy doesn’t let her wallow but encourages her to join the rescue mission to save those still trapped or newly homeless. Exhausted they return to number 11, Larkhill, Jilly’s family home only to return to the streets the next day. Jilly is able to offer a home to Helena who with her three young children, has lost everything.

More than seventy years later number 11 is home to Laura, Jilly’s granddaughter, and her family. Laura’s younger daughter, Willow, is about to leave for university, which Laura is having a hard time dealing with.

Having taken Willow to York, on the way home Laura and husband Dom stop for coffee at a service station, where Laura learns a shocking truth.

This novel resonated with me as I grew up in Bath and it stirred many memories. The characters are many and varied and each plays a pivotal part in the portrayal of the lives of one family over several generations; each leap off the page, fully formed and raring to go.

Sensitively written, this is a really enjoyable novel for anyone who enjoys a family saga with a bit of drama and good old-fashioned grit. The women are strong, self-reliant and inspirational as they cope with life’s vagaries, not without problems but proactively. The men come off less well.

The Family Recipe reference refers to a box of recipes Jilly inherits from her mother Catherine, and which passes to Laura and her daughters.

Pashtpaws

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

A Family Recipe was a great book and I really enjoyed it.
Laura is trying to find herself again after her youngest daughter is flying the nest and then a shocking family revelation is thrown in too.
I loved it and was sad when it finished as I could have carried on reading all about them all.

This is my first book from this author but it won't be the last . A really nice easy read . With lovable chatacters

I enjoyed this book immensely. It's written so well linking the past to present day. I will look out for more books from this author.

this is a lovely story about friendship and has 2 stories that connect to one house - The present day story is about Laura who is in her 40's whose life is unexpectedly turned upside down and the second story is about Gilly and is set in 1942 who also has unexpected events happen to her. A lovely feelgood book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity for this ARC.

I loved this excellent book :) such a gorgeous read. I have always loved Veronica’s books and this one is no exception. 9/10.

This is a smashing story of friendship, with strong characters pulling you in.
Could not put it down.

The captivating story of 4 generations. I love the mix of current day and the compelling flashback story of the second world war. A real page turner to the end.

I loved this book and how the two stories of the grandmother and granddaughter were woven together. The feeling of friendship and family and how sometimes we choose our own family when we don't have our own was strong.

You were rooting for it all to right in the end but I won't spoil the ending!