Recipe for a Charmed Life

By: Rachel Linden

Narrated by: Traci Odom

Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

“Heartfelt, heartwarming, joyful, and uplifting. You can't go wrong with a Rachel Linden book.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber

After a day of unrivaled disappointments, a promising young chef finds every bite of food suddenly tastes bitter. To save her career, she travels to the Pacific Northwest to reconnect with her estranged mom, and discovers a family legacy she never suspected in this delicious novel from the bestselling author of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie.

American chef Georgia May Jackson has one goal—to run her own restaurant in Paris. After a grueling decade working in Parisian kitchens, she is on the cusp of success. But in one disastrous night, Georgia loses her sous-chef position, her French boyfriend, and her sense of taste! Renowned for her refined palate and daring use of bold flavors to create remarkable dishes, Georgia is devastated to discover her culinary gift has simply...vanished.

When she receives a surprising invitation from her estranged mother, Georgia flees to a small island near Seattle hoping the visit will help her regain her spark in the kitchen. As she tentatively reconnects with her mom, a free-spirited hippie eager to make up for her past mistakes, Georgia realizes there is something about the enigmatic island she just cannot piece together. Good luck charms start appearing in the oddest places. Her neighbor is a puzzlingly antagonistic (and annoyingly handsome) oyster farmer. And her mom keeps hinting at a mysterious family legacy.

With the clock ticking and time running out to win her dream job in Paris, Georgia begins to unravel some astonishing secrets that make her wonder if the true recipe for a charmed life might look—and taste—very different than she ever imagined.

©2023 Rachel Linden (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"This poignant story folds in themes of food and cooking with magical realism, grace, and a touch of romance." —Booklist

"With delicate touches of magical realism and an abiding sense of comfort, Linden offers a gentle hug of a story." —Library Journal

“Filled with suspense, magic, and mouth-watering descriptions of food, and set against a backdrop of a gorgeous island in the Pacific Northwest, Recipe for a Charmed Life brings us a spunky, gritty heroine who must try to reinvent herself after a devastating heartbreak. This beautiful story is a feast not to be missed!” —Maddie Dawson, bestselling author of Snap Out of It

This is a love story about loving life, family and romance

In a single blow, Georgia May loses her sense of taste—a significant setback for an aspiring chef in Paris—alongside her two-year relationship and job. I’m all about stories where characters find themselves in a bit of a lost-and-found situation. Seeking clarity in life, Georgia undergoes a journey of self-discovery. This book not only delves into her sense of being lost but also intricately weaves in complex family dynamics, adding a touch of drama. Oh, and don’t forget a sprinkle of romance – that’s the recipe for an engaging story!

One thing I loved about the book besides the delicious food descriptions was the PNW location and Paris. Rachel did a wonderful job of transporting me to the streets of Paris and made me fall in love with the San Juan islands. I enjoyed Georgia’s journey of connecting with her mother and learning about her mother’s side of the family and the thought-provoking message of coming to know what it is we want in life. The important things and learning to live and be in the moment. I loved the little snippets of inner dialogue Georgia would have when she wondered what Julia Child would do.

This is a love story. A love of finding oneself. Finding love in what you’re passionate about. Love of family. Love of two people!

Read if you enjoy:
🥐 Delicious cooking
🥐 Reconnecting with a parent
🥐 Self Discovery
🥐 Romance subplot

a little magical realism

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Setting: Paris, San Juan Island
Format: 🎧
Performance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narrator: Traci Odom
Release Date: January 9, 2024
Length: 11 hrs/36 mons

Recipe for a Charmed Life is my second book by Rachel Linden. She has a special, let’s say “je ne sais quoi” when comes to blending a enchanting, heartfelt story with a little magical realism but just make sure you are ready for the lip-smacking recipes and delicious descriptions of the San Juan Island landscapes.

Georgia May Jackson, at a young age was abandoned by her mother and raised by her Texan father and aunt, is now living the dream. She has been living in Paris for the past ten years and has worked her way up to a sous-chef in an upscale restaurant. Georgia is right on the verge of reaching her goal .. becoming the head chef in a new and upcoming Paris restaurant, when disaster strikes .. a cheating lover, insulting a food critic and loss of taste and sparks sends her culinary career spiraling.

What she is not expecting is contact from her estranged mother with an invitation to come to San Juan Island to visit her. With hopes of reigniting her culinary spark, regain her sense of taste and expose family secrets as to why her mother suddenly left Georgia takes up her mother’s offer. Why now is her mother contacting her?

This visit with her mother will send Georgia in a journey of healing, regains her self-esteem, rekindle her love of cooking, finds a special bond with her mother, and surprisingly forms a friendship with the mysterious handsome neighbor with his own secret pass.

Rachel Linden brilliant weaves the importance of family and second chances, learning to forgive, romance and just a hint of magic. I felt the mother’s backstory and why she needed to see Georgia could have been revealed a little sooner.

The was an audiobook narrated by Traci Odom who did a splendid job.

The detail and the love of San Juans

While I was not fond of the Paris portion or accents Georgia May and her story was so touching!

Horrible

Didn’t like anything about this book - written for a 5 year old - boring and predictable - narration is absolutely horrid