This first book in the ‘Tales of the Curious Cookbook’ collection definitely worked its magic on me. Warm, gentle, and with some delicious mentions of wonderful recipes, it is an excellent representative of what I would call “comfort food of the mind”. While Robbie and Jason are the focus of the story, Maggie and the slightly mysterious selection of recipes she passes on to them are characters in their own right. As the blurb for the collection says: “Food created out of love casts a spell all its own, but Granny B’s recipes add a little something extra.”

Robbie is a bit of a lost soul. He is an artist at heart, but scared to show his drawings and paintings to the world. He lives in a charming small village in the English countryside, far away form the hustle and bustle of bigger towns and cities. The quiet life suits him, and since he manages the local post office/bookstore/café, he sees enough people to feel part of the community. When Maggie, the woman who made his life possible by offering him this job, dies and leaves him the building, he is shocked not just because he will miss her friendship, but because she made it possible for him to keep his means of making a living.

Then Jason appears, a young American author who is somehow related to Maggie, and now the owner of her cottage. Robbie likes him from the very first, and as they maneuver their way through s small disaster at the cottage, the discovery of some of Maggie’s belongings, and the secret of one of her favorite recipes, Robbie slowly falls in love.

As gentle as a summer rain, the relationship between Robbie and Jason was wonderful to watch. If you like stories set in small villages located in the countryside, if two men from opposite ends of the world coming together and finding common ground is your thing, and if you’re looking for a food-centric and very tasteful romance with lots of discoveries and significant but understated passion, then you will probably like this novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )

I enjoyed this book, mostly for the pace, and the feel of the quaint little English village. Though both characters were nice as well, and I like the memories of Maggie Robbie brought out once in a while.

I'd like to have some of these recipes myself. :) ( )