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andreanourse's review against another edition
4.0
A solid sweet romance! I loved the groups of four friends and the way they all interacted with and supported each other. Can’t wait to read the next one!
kelly_e's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Title: The Sunday Potluck Club
Author: Melissa Storm
Series: The Sunday Potluck Club #1
Genre: Women's Fiction
Rating: 2.50
Pub Date: March 31, 2020
I received a complimentary eARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Wholesome • Quick • Lighthearted
📖 S Y N O P S I S
New friends can be found in unexpected places. For Bridget and Amy, that place was the cancer ward of an Anchorage hospital. Now, as each struggles to overcome loss, they lean on each other for support—sharing suppers, laughter and tears.
Bridget and Amy aren’t about to let hardship knock them down—Bridget plans to return to her veterinarian school studies, Amy to her position as a second-grade teacher—but neither feels quite ready. And so the Sunday Potluck Club is born, a way for Bridget, Amy, and other women who have lost a loved one to find solace and understanding. Savoring favorite dishes while sharing memories and the comfort of connection, the members of the Sunday Potluck Club nourish body and soul.
As weeks go by and the group grows in unforeseen ways, both Bridget and Amy are inspired to find greater purpose. Amy reaches out to a student whose father bravely faces his own struggle. Bridget volunteers at the local animal shelter, rehabilitating dogs whose unconditional love will bring others a chance to heal. And with the help of two special men, Bridget and Amy are realizing that there’s always room at the table for love and rekindled joy...
💭 T H O U G H T S
I thought the idea of The Sunday Potluck Club sounded like it would make a fantastic, heartwarming read. As someone who has witnessed the importance of community in grief, I loved the concept of a group of people coming together to help one another through their grief. Unfortunately, the marketing was misleading, as the 'club' plays such a small role in the plot that I was left disappointed.
I had two major issues. Firstly, the book is very surface level and lacks the emotional depth I craved. There's a huge focus on the 'getting better' after grief and that definitely didn't sit well with me. While it tried to show that everyone grieves differently, there was so much judgement and doing things 'right' mentioned that it just didn't sit right with me. Secondly, there are major issues with Amy's professional boundaries that play a huge part of the plot. I understand her desire to help, but there are better ways to go about things, and it often seemed like she was overstepping as Olivia's teacher. Maybe it was my inability to suspend my belief, but the whole thing felt unrealistic.
The Sunday Potluck Club is a quick, lighthearted read that became some repetitive, yet still had me rooting for the characters and shows the importance of community in grief. However, in my opinion, it would have much better without the romance, focusing on the friendships and the Sunday potlucks. It didn't have the depth I craved and it's not likely I will continue with the series.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Hallmark movie enthusiasts
Author: Melissa Storm
Series: The Sunday Potluck Club #1
Genre: Women's Fiction
Rating: 2.50
Pub Date: March 31, 2020
I received a complimentary eARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Wholesome • Quick • Lighthearted
📖 S Y N O P S I S
New friends can be found in unexpected places. For Bridget and Amy, that place was the cancer ward of an Anchorage hospital. Now, as each struggles to overcome loss, they lean on each other for support—sharing suppers, laughter and tears.
Bridget and Amy aren’t about to let hardship knock them down—Bridget plans to return to her veterinarian school studies, Amy to her position as a second-grade teacher—but neither feels quite ready. And so the Sunday Potluck Club is born, a way for Bridget, Amy, and other women who have lost a loved one to find solace and understanding. Savoring favorite dishes while sharing memories and the comfort of connection, the members of the Sunday Potluck Club nourish body and soul.
As weeks go by and the group grows in unforeseen ways, both Bridget and Amy are inspired to find greater purpose. Amy reaches out to a student whose father bravely faces his own struggle. Bridget volunteers at the local animal shelter, rehabilitating dogs whose unconditional love will bring others a chance to heal. And with the help of two special men, Bridget and Amy are realizing that there’s always room at the table for love and rekindled joy...
💭 T H O U G H T S
I thought the idea of The Sunday Potluck Club sounded like it would make a fantastic, heartwarming read. As someone who has witnessed the importance of community in grief, I loved the concept of a group of people coming together to help one another through their grief. Unfortunately, the marketing was misleading, as the 'club' plays such a small role in the plot that I was left disappointed.
I had two major issues. Firstly, the book is very surface level and lacks the emotional depth I craved. There's a huge focus on the 'getting better' after grief and that definitely didn't sit well with me. While it tried to show that everyone grieves differently, there was so much judgement and doing things 'right' mentioned that it just didn't sit right with me. Secondly, there are major issues with Amy's professional boundaries that play a huge part of the plot. I understand her desire to help, but there are better ways to go about things, and it often seemed like she was overstepping as Olivia's teacher. Maybe it was my inability to suspend my belief, but the whole thing felt unrealistic.
The Sunday Potluck Club is a quick, lighthearted read that became some repetitive, yet still had me rooting for the characters and shows the importance of community in grief. However, in my opinion, it would have much better without the romance, focusing on the friendships and the Sunday potlucks. It didn't have the depth I craved and it's not likely I will continue with the series.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Hallmark movie enthusiasts
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Cancer, and Grief
death of partnerashbethindia's review against another edition
2.0
You know the adage, "Show, don't tell?" There was a lot of tell in this book. And a lot of unnecessary angst. While there were certainly some good nuggets on grief and the power of asking for what you need, overall it was an entirely skimmable book for me.
spoonofnutella_'s review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
A simple and easy read. Doesn't require too much focus. I didn't get much from this book but I also didn't expect much.
corinnab's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
3.25 stars. I liked this book. It was very sweet and wholesome. My favorite part was the storyline about finding homes for dogs (and cats). I got this from Netgalley but it was an excerpt and not the full story which I was unaware of until I started reading it. I ended up listening to the audibook in its' entirety so I could review it.
leslie_o's review
3.0
I enjoyed this Women’s Fiction/Chick-Lit story with a little romance. Some of the writing was not my favorite (a lot more ‘telling’ vs ‘showing’ at times), but overall, I appreciated the perspective on grief, the theme of friendship, and the musings on life. I was invested in the characters and I will read the other books in the series. This first book was told from Amy’s perspective (although in third person) and from what I can tell the other books focus on other characters from the friend group. I’m looking forward to learning more about Amy’s friends.
3.5 ⭐️ rounded down to 3
3.5 ⭐️ rounded down to 3
soren23's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Not very realistic, but found Olivia and trents relationship sweet. The friends talk to each other terribly, don't help each other through grief at all. Book is a bit misleading
carolineva's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
sasyjenn's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0