The Cookbook Club

August 31, 2020
Harbison (Every Time You Go Away) cooks up a delectable novel about a woman who finds a way to renew her life. In Washington, D.C., foodie Margo Brinker’s marriage comes to a sudden end when her husband leaves her for his therapist. She feels disillusioned by the so-called friends in her book club, who aren’t available to commiserate with her, and heads to the internet for something a little bit more real. She finds the Cookbook Club, started by Trista, who was fired from her lawyer job, now runs a bar, and convenes the club IRL to try new recipes. The club becomes the focal point for several characters, including Aja, a yoga teacher who gets pregnant and takes over her ex-boyfriend’s mother’s garden (finding an unexpected relationship), while Max, a figure from Margo’s past who is now a movie star hiding from the spotlight, surprises her with a DM. Margo and Max take on the job of fixing up a piece of collateral property from Margo’s divorce, and Max recognizes the potential Margo’s ex missed in the property. As expected, romance ensues. Through recipes and easy reading, Harbison’s pleasant tale shines a light on her characters’ successes and failures. Despite a few clichés, this is a mostly delicious story.

October 1, 2020

When Trista, a former lawyer and first-time bar owner, starts a cookbook club to help her test recipes for her menu, she gets two attendees, Aja and Margo. Each has her own reasons for joining the club. Margo loves to cook, and now that she's free of her perpetually dieting husband, she can prepare all the high-calorie food she desires. Aja, on the other hand, is desperate to learn to cook to impress her wealthy boyfriend and his family. The three become fast friends, and the camaraderie proves timely as each experiences unforeseen challenges. When Aja's relationship dissolves but has lasting consequences, Margo is contacted by a college friend looking for refuge, and Trista finds that making her establishment profitable is harder than expected, they realize that their newfound bond may be even more important than the amazing food for which they gather. VERDICT Harbison's latest (after Every Time You Go Away) makes for a story as inviting as the titular club. Blending women's with culinary fiction it is sure to please the author's many fans, as well as readers of Darien Gee and Barbara O'Neal.--Karen Core, Detroit P.L.

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2020
After leaving her high-powered job as a lawyer, Trista starts the Cookbook Club as a way to test out new recipes for the restaurant she's renovating. An invite posted on Instagram brings two new women into her life. Margo is thrilled to have some freedom in the kitchen after years of catering to a no-fat, low-cholesterol, egg-whites-only dictator of a husband, and Aja's always up for a new challenge. As the months pass, the women's friendships and cooking repertoires deepen, and it's clear that their culinary confidence has bled into other areas of their lives. Through budding romances, career prospects, and a newfound sense of self, each woman's journey is relatable, heartfelt, and undeniably appetizing. The Cookbook Club dives into the inner lives of three women at various crossroads, ready to access reserves of strength they didn't know they had. Harbison (Every Time You Go Away, 2018) charts the group's highs and lows with kindness, warmth, and humor, channeling Mary Simses, Samantha V�rant, and Roselle Lim. A warm, nourishing read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)