I thought that this title was going to be an empowering, “How Stella got her groove back” but with pastries. Which is an awesome premise and made me want to put on my "napron". However, that’s not what this was. Instead it was a dual timeline tale about the good times and how both people in a marriage can tear it asunder. The reason I thought it was going to be an empowering tale about healing after heartbreak was because in the first chapter, we learn that Tom cheats on her. I assume because of her store he feels invisible, however he doesn't communicate that with her. 

As for the writing, it was great but the placing of chapters and recipes leaves a lot to be desired. The flashbacks we are given are not at all in the right places, because we are given the introduction of when they first met somewhere in the middle of the book. It would have been more effective to have to happen side by side and meet in the middle. For instance, when she first finds out, versus when they first met. I found myself skipping a lot of the past chapters because they had no pertinence in the story. It should have been written so the reader could try to figure out what went wrong for themselves. 

Tom is just a “good guy gone bad”; there isn’t any character development for him. We aren’t introduced to his family, we don’t even really know what he does for work. It’s very easy to typecast him as a man who strayed and we aren't given a reason until the end of the book.

Elle is, well she’s selfish. Charlie, Bonnie’s husband makes a move on her when he and Bonnie are just starting to date and she holds onto that information and projects that onto every interaction that she and Charlie have for NINE YEARS. She’s not a likable character and she seems to think that life is just happening to her. It is through her inaction that she is going home with people and avoiding her husband. Even her divorce is not something she takes control of. Essentially she is a pushover and weak and insecure. I couldn't identify with her. 

All in all, this was a 2 star read for me. I would give it a 1 star but the writing was solid. It was a good effort for a debut novel. 

Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

In all honesty, women's fiction books about baking and/or cooking don't exactly reinvent the wheel. But at the same time, there's a sort of comfort knowing what you're going to get. A sweet (ha! pun intended) romantic story - usually with a little turmoil thrown in for good measure - sprinkled (I did it again!) with recipes to mark the chapters. 

The Ingredients of Us followed the same recipe (I'm just being silly now) but I still found myself enjoying every page. Even though this is a story similar to those I read before, it doesn't feel trite or stale. I will admit there were moments when the main character's indecision and back and forth mentality grated on my nerves, but all and all this was the perfect sweet summer read.

I found this book really addictive! At first when I saw this book I actually thought it was a cookbook and my friend told me it’s really good! So Elle finds out her husband has cheated on her (which is horrible!!!) and she owns a bakery! Elle and her business partner are trying to decide whether to open a second location of their bakery. Then Elle’s life ends up how she doesn’t expect. The book also has really wonderful recipes and I really enjoyed the back and forth between recent events and Elle and Tom's past. This book made it clear there were red flags that seemed like things they both should have noticed about the other much sooner. Elle’s character I felt could have been portrayed as a stronger lead, but I understand how she can be indecisive when something like that occurs in her life. 
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

The Ingredients of Us by Jennifer Gold is an impressive offering from a debut author.  Ms Gold has taken a well-trodden scenario, infidelity in a marriage, and given it a fresh and compelling spin.  Although this was a relatively quick and straightforward read, it was in no way lacking in emotional depth.

The story unfolds over the years of Elle and Tom's relationship, and the shifting timelines paint a picture of both the before and after of Elle's discovery of Tom's infidelity.  Elle is portrayed as an emotionally fragile figure, particularly following the death of her beloved father.  Elle's first love is baking, and the bakery that she has established with her best friend, Bonnie, is her proudest achievement.  But in Tom, Elle has found someone who has supported her completely, and she acknowledges that he is the only person that she has ever loved as much as she loves baking.  When she discovers Tom's infidelity, Elle's world is shattered, and through her tried and true recipes, she must reflect on the missing 'ingredients' of her own marriage,

This is a clever account of Elle's story, and I believe that the intermittent recipes, and the back and forth timelines, serve the telling of it well.  I am anxious to see what this new author will serve up next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

Elle finds out her husband has cheated on her, and she and her business partner are trying to decide whether to open a second location of their bakery. Immediately Elle's whole life is in upheaval. I was drawn to this book because of the interwoven recipes, which I found to be the best part. I enjoyed the back and forth between recent events and Elle and Tom's past so that more of the story was told, but those additional insights didn't help me understand much of why these two people were together. I just saw red flags that seemed like things they both should have noticed about the other much sooner. Elle as a character was a disappointment - I felt the book description made her out to be much stronger than she is.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Disappointed. So sorry to have to say that. I was excited to get to read The Ingredients of Us when I saw that recipes had been incorporated into the story, but unfortunately, even those yummy ingredients couldn't save this lightweight story. 

Elle and Tom are having marital woes . This "back and forth in time" story paints a picture of their lives, from their initial meeting, to their marriage, and then to the way they decide to deal with their problems. Elle's baking is the perfect therapy for her, and the fun instructions in the recipes scattered throughout the book relate to her emotional status. The story meanders, and  moves so slowly, that I began to skim the text in order to get the next recipe. I didn't find the ending to be believable.

I would only recommend this book to women who need an easy read, and are not looking for a lot of emotional intensity.

Thank you, Netgalley for allowing me to read this book.

This book never grabbed my attention. I found the time jumps in the story a little hard to keep up with. It was just a long, long story about the demise of a marriage. 
I did enjoy the recipes and the way they were woven into the story.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book for review.

Gold has used recipes to frame the nine years of the relationship between Ella and Tom.  Ella's a baker and she relates to the world through food.  Tom is her husband and he, well, he's done her wrong.  This isn't a new plot line but it's freshened up here by the way it's played out.  I liked Ella a lot.  AND, equally, I liked her recipes.   Thanks to Netgalley for the DRC.  This is a quick read with a relatable character you will root for.

The Ingredients of Us has the best cover and that’s what drew me to this book. Lots of recipes in this book that literally made my mouth water. A woman’s husband has cheated on her and that’s how it starts. It flips back and forth from before the affair and after the affair but it’s easy to follow. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All opinions are my own.

Indulge a sweet tooth or save a marriage?
Baking as a comfort food has been examined ad nauseum but this book uses recipes to get to the heart of the matter.
The problem is 'the matter' is not well defined. For example if your spouse aka Tom in this case is cheating wouldn't your first response be to find out why and perhaps involved a marriage counselor not go off and bake a cake?
Secondly, I read many reviews about the ingredients but it seems something more than ingredients is lacking here. The recipes are in a font that's not easily legible on e-reads and don't seem to be accurate in measurements.
Then there's the bouncing abnormal timeline that flops all over the place which is hard to follow for those who read fast such as self. It would've helped to have a more confined timeline say from the dating scene to the marriage rather than 6 weeks, two days, one month out...
As for the relationship between a married woman our main character and another friends husband back in the day at a bar for me just was added fluff but held no substance to the plot.
If you like strong characters and heroines this also won't be your cup of tea. No offense but settling in a marriage for the sake of a marriage and not fulfilling one another be it with procreation, love, attention, or whatever the other seeks isn't my ideal marriage but then again I chose a narcissist and happily divorced so I'm not one to give advice on marital issues.
It seems odd that Tom went from one marriage to the next and never was fulfilled in never having kids. 
Overall it wasn't too bad but I'd hope for more dialogue between the two main characters.
Life does go on but be careful what you choose to bake it could turn out to be a lump.

It is amazing that a woman who can run a successful business can be so emotionally stymied. Who brings baked goods to a bar or divorce proceedings? Doesn't display affection? It was only toward the end that I actually like Elle. She finally became an adult.

This was such a cute read! I loved how much Elle had a passion for baking, and that seemed so real to me. The recipes provided look amazing too! 

I really enjoyed the way Elle reacted to her husband’s infidelity in the way most of us actually would, not the way we think we would. There was so much emotional veracity in how she handled it. 

However, the ending didn’t work for me. Her ex husband still wants kids desperately and she doesn’t. This isn’t going to change. I think suggesting a reconciliated future between them pushes a “love conquers all differences” philosophy that I personally don’t agree with and even find emotionally harmful. But overall, this was a well written piece of women’s fiction that I really enjoyed, and I can’t wait to see how some of these recipes turn out when I make them!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and lake union publishing for my complimentary digital copy!

I really love books that combine recipes into the story. The way Elle wrote the recipes in this one were definitely different. I am not sure really how I felt about it. 
I liked how you got the before and after throughout the story. But I just don't think I really connected with Elle.

No matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t sink into this book. Firstly, I didn’t like the main character. She struck me as immature and a bit ridiculous. I also did not like the way the storyline jumped around. Every chapter begins at a different point in the main characters life, centering around when she found on her husband was cheating on her but the timelines seem to be completely random. This made reading it a little tiresome, having to make sure that you knew when in the story you were at each chapter. I did like the recipes in the story, though not technical recipes I felt like they were what an actual baker, who may not need a true recipe, would follow. They were meant to convey Elle’s feelings while making the recipe and I liked that addition to the story. Though this book wasn’t for me it was well written and I’m sure many other readers will enjoy it.

This was an interesting take on the typical story of a wife who discovers her husband has cheated on her.  The way Elle takes recipes and describes the emotions she is experiencing while she bakes delightful creations is entertaining.  You could find yourself feeling every heartache, insecurity, and anticipation.

The book goes back and forth from before and after Elle discovers her husband's infidelity.  This is handled well and does not distract you from the primary theme of the book.  You will discover the background behind Elle and Tom's relationship, their individual past histories, and the present day and what has led them to this point.

The author has done a great job of developing the characters, having you hold onto hope, and experiencing grief and anxiety as you travel through the angst of a marriage falling apart.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.  I will also say that I'd purchased a copy, pre-publication, because I didn't want to miss it.
This is another that Lake Union, who honestly has yet to fail me on a book, got right.  This debut author did a great job making us feel Elle's life turning upside down, and by using narrative that goes to past and present (and is clearly laid out in clever parts) we can see what we all learn at some point:  when marriages have rough patches, it's rarely one thing and it's usually a combination of reasons.  To make this even more special, the author gives us some amazing recipes that I can't wait to try.  I highly recommend this title, and again: at this point I have two, and I'm not sorry about that.

THE INGREDIENTS OF US by Jennifer Gold
This book started out making me cry and I pretty much cried all the way through. As much as I truly hate cheating in a marriage I started feeling bad for Tom. I felt super bad for Elle, but I just felt like Tom got lost. There were things he wanted so bad yet could never seem to have. Family being one and the most important one for him. Elle loves Tom even more than baking. He’s the love of her life and always will be. He told a few lies along the way but I still felt for him. My heart broke for this couple actually. The recipes do sound so very good and I may even try a few of them as I love baking. But spending all of your time working can ruin a marriage in many ways. Not that I put this on Elle by any means. They both had troubles. They both were hurting in ways that only reading this book will explain so you understand.
This is the first book by this author and it gives me strong hope for even more. I was hooked from the very first. The love story and the way it jumped around made it perfect. The way she incorporated recipes to explain some things was perfect. Even the saddest parts were done to perfection.
The characters are perfect. The settings are perfect. It’s just an all around wonderful and heartbreaking story of true love. Love lost. Recipes that will make your mouth water and your tummy growl. I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down even with company from Mexico here.
Thank you so much #NetGalley and #Lake Union Publishers for this sweet story of heartache and love.
I had to give it 5 stars. I highly recommend this one.

This book is a delicious read a book of a marriage with issues a book of food incredible recipes a first time author who I will be following.A book I will be gifting to friends so special a wonderful read #netgalley #lakeunion

🎂🎂🎂🎂🍰 (4.5)

A delicious debut novel from Jennifer Gold. Perfect summer read and when you are done, you will have a few yummy dessert recipes!  

This book goes back and forth in time, effortlessly from Elle and Tom’s courtship till their present troubles.  Anyone who has ever dealt with insecurities in your self or a relationship, will see yourself in Elle.  Tom, is searching for something also.  

The recipes described follow the storyline completely along with the references of food describing certain characters and feelings.  Take the time to read them because they add so much to this story.  Just when you think you know where the story is going, the author changes direction in subtle ways.  Just as you bite into a new dessert, this book revels many surprises.   

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for this ARC, a sweet work of fiction.  Opinion is mine alone.  I look forward to reading this author again.

DIAGRAM OF A MARRIAGE

THE INGREDIENTS OF US by Jennifer Gold is a diagram of the marriage between Ellie (a successful partner in a bakery) & Tom (a Professor turned online tutor). This book covers their relationship from when they met to the present. Gold writes as if she’s telling this story to her friends. For every event - good, bad & ugly - Ellie works things out through her baking. Gold includes Ellie’s Recipes in the book and reading them will make you hungry and will also make you laugh as she writes humorous little quips throughout her Recipes. Like many people, she has her Favorite Recipes that she turns to for comfort during certain times in her life, Recipes that are certain people’s favorites and Recipes that were passed down from someone. As you read the pages of this book, you will understand why Gold keenly chose the title THE INGREDIENTS OF US. I was provided an ARC of this book by Lake Union Publishers And NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

**THIS BOOK CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE & ADULT SITUATIONS.**