Take a photo of a barcode or cover
bernluvsbooks 's review for:
Recipe for a Perfect Wife
by Karma Brown
3.5 Alternating Timelines & Secrets Filled Stars (rounded up) for Recipe for a Perfect Wife
Told in alternating timelines Recipe for a Perfect Wife, tells the stories of dissatisfied wife Alice Hale who has given up a career in publicity to be a writer upon relocating with her husband to the suburbs.
Upon discovering a vintage cookbook buried in a box in her new home's basement, Alice becomes captivated by the cookbook’s previous owner--1950s housewife Nellie Murdoch. As Alice cooks her way through the past, she realizes that within the cookbook’s pages Nellie left clues about her life--including a mysterious series of unsent letters penned to her mother.
While the recipes seem harmless Nellie's secrets appear to be anything but. Alice uncovers a sinister side to Nellie’s marriage as she faces mounting pressures in her own relationship. Their marriage has become one in which the truth is an inner monologue with so much left unsaid. I struggled with Alice's character and many of her actions (hence the lower rating) but I was absolutely taken with Nellie and her backstory.
I was intrigued by this book's format including (antiquated and at times laugh out loud hilarious) advice to women from 19th century publications. We’ve come a long way since then, yet many of our battles remain the same don’t they? Finally, the recipes - what a treat! Some of them made me roll my eyes in disgust while thinking, who would want to eat that? Others, I admit had me curious to try and see how they'd fare.
Overall, the plot was predictable and a bit cliche (I think that was the point though) but it was an entertaining read.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Dutton and Penguin Publishing Group for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.
Told in alternating timelines Recipe for a Perfect Wife, tells the stories of dissatisfied wife Alice Hale who has given up a career in publicity to be a writer upon relocating with her husband to the suburbs.
Upon discovering a vintage cookbook buried in a box in her new home's basement, Alice becomes captivated by the cookbook’s previous owner--1950s housewife Nellie Murdoch. As Alice cooks her way through the past, she realizes that within the cookbook’s pages Nellie left clues about her life--including a mysterious series of unsent letters penned to her mother.
While the recipes seem harmless Nellie's secrets appear to be anything but. Alice uncovers a sinister side to Nellie’s marriage as she faces mounting pressures in her own relationship. Their marriage has become one in which the truth is an inner monologue with so much left unsaid. I struggled with Alice's character and many of her actions (hence the lower rating) but I was absolutely taken with Nellie and her backstory.
I was intrigued by this book's format including (antiquated and at times laugh out loud hilarious) advice to women from 19th century publications. We’ve come a long way since then, yet many of our battles remain the same don’t they? Finally, the recipes - what a treat! Some of them made me roll my eyes in disgust while thinking, who would want to eat that? Others, I admit had me curious to try and see how they'd fare.
Overall, the plot was predictable and a bit cliche (I think that was the point though) but it was an entertaining read.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Dutton and Penguin Publishing Group for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.