Readers' Comments for The Recipe Box

In June, a select group of readers who participated in one of our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlights won copies of THE RECIPE BOX by Sandra Lee. The novel follows Grace D’Angelo, a woman who is at her wits' end, barely managing her job, her rebellious teenager and the horrifying fact that her lifelong best friend, Leeza, is dying of cancer. When Leeza succumbs to her illness, Grace realizes she must take drastic action to get her life back on track and repair her most precious relationships. She and her daughter move back to their hometown, where she comes to terms with the past, rediscovers the healing power of cooking, and connects with friends old and new. For more insight into THE RECIPE BOX, take a look at what some of our readers had to say about this compelling story --- and be sure to watch out for spoilers!

We thank all of those who participated in this promotion. For those of you who would like to read this novel, THE RECIPE BOX is available in stores.

Nedra
Just finished reading THE RECIPE BOX by Sandra Lee --- only took two days. This is a good book for beach reading and reading while waiting for kids to be picked up after school. I would recommend it for young women. The recipes sound good. 

Margaret
THE RECIPE BOX is a good summer read. It was enjoyable and easy to read. The recipes are an added bonus. There are thought-provoking themes. It’s a feel-good book.

Jill
I just finished reading THE RECIPE BOX. It's a fairly quick read, but a worthy first novel from this well-known kitchen guru. The characters are realistic and likeable. The storylines are generally predictable, but there are enough twists and surprises along the way to keep things interesting. I really like the way recipes are dispersed throughout the book and are worked into the story! Nice touch and they sound delicious, too!

I would recommend this book to readers of Harlequin romances and light women's fiction. This book is MUCH better written than most of Harlequin’s, and the story is credible and realistic. It is generally a light, "feel good" book, but at the same time it manages to deal with very tough issues like death, divorce, family secrets, parenting, etc.  There are some good lessons to be learned from this enjoyable book, and Sandra Lee serves them up with a spoonful of sugar so they go down smoothly. This is not the type of book that I would usually choose to read, but I enjoyed it and feel it was time well spent.  Perfect porch read for a hot summer day with a tall glass of iced tea!

Sharon
I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a perfect light summer read. It was homey and comforting --- like an old family recipe or a comfy robe is. Having the story entwined with the recipes was a nice touch. It wasn't too fluffy, but just the right amount for an easy read.

Hazel
I really enjoyed THE RECIPE BOX. This book told a great story encompassing 3 generations of women. It shows how misunderstandings and no communication can keep people from learning that the truth is easier to handle than letting imaginations run wild with unanswered questions.

Thestory brought these three people together through the death of a loved one and a recipe box. When they began baking together, they began sharing their thoughts, and all found greater peace and happiness. While the death of their dear friend Leeza inspired their circle of friends to look for more in life, ultimately, all the characters in the book found new joy in life --- an ex-husband remarried, a daughter found new outlets and new friends, a gay male friend found a new friend and a new path to happiness. A very good book! I will be trying some of the great recipes in the book. I'd recommend this book to females --- anywhere from 14 year olds old to senior citizens.

Julie
This book had me in tears several times. My cousin/best friend has Stage IV breast cancer, so it really hit home. I couldn’t put this book down. I wanted to devour every page --- delicious, heartwarming and engulfing. LOVED IT!

I am definitely going to suggest that my mother, sister, cousin, best friend and grandma read it. I come from a long line of single mothers, so I totally empathized.

Krys
I found THE RECIPE BOX to be a good read. I enjoyed it and found it to be a very heartwarming story. It covered all aspects of life --- mother/daughter love and hate relationships, lovers, friendship, death, marriage and family secrets. The recipes in the book are an added bonus and I intend to make the strawberry pie. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends, and hopefully we could have a good discussion about it afterwards --- there is much that can be discussed.

Connie
THE RECIPE BOX was an enjoyable read for me. The characters are easy to follow and learn about. This book is a great summer read in my opinion. I like the recipes that are featured in the book and they tie in with the storyline very well.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes romances, literary fiction or even recipes, for that matter. I know for a fact that my sister and mother would both like this book. My mother would like it for the story and the wide range of characters. My sister would like it for the recipes and the history behind how those recipes began and were passed along from generation to generation.
 
Sandra Lee is a great chef in my opinion. She takes basic things that most people have in their cabinets or refrigerator and makes a recipe that is easy to make or share. I was excited to hear that she wrote this novel. She did an excellent job on this book and I hope she writes more novels in the future.

Jayne
A tasty, if light, read --- the story and recipes were very enjoyable. Would recommend the book to those that like light, women's fiction.