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jennifer1130's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
This was a re-listen for me on audiobook. I do enjoy the easy nature of the book but this one is definitely starting to feel quite dated for me now. The final few scenes were a little bit infuriating when Zoe just point blank refused to shut up for one moment and listen but otherwise an easy listen.
gilliske's review against another edition
2.0
Dit is een boek van het 'verstand-op-nul' genre, maar er zijn blijkbaar toch grenzen aan de mate waarin ik mijn verstand kan uitschakelen. Het plot was op zo veel vlakken zo ongeloofwaardig dat ik me echt niet in het verhaal kon verliezen.
De personages waren oppervlakkig en karikaturaal uitgewerkt: de 'bitch' is dit voor 100%: ze is achterbaks, helemaal gefocust op uiterlijk, grof, gemeen en egoïstisch.
De 'good girl' is frustrerend naïef en goedgelovig, cijfert zichzelf volledig weg voor anderen en dit echt in àlle omstandigheden. Ik had soms zin om haar eens goed door mekaar te schudden.
Conclusie: helaas echt niets voor mij, dit boek.
De personages waren oppervlakkig en karikaturaal uitgewerkt: de 'bitch' is dit voor 100%: ze is achterbaks, helemaal gefocust op uiterlijk, grof, gemeen en egoïstisch.
De 'good girl' is frustrerend naïef en goedgelovig, cijfert zichzelf volledig weg voor anderen en dit echt in àlle omstandigheden. Ik had soms zin om haar eens goed door mekaar te schudden.
Conclusie: helaas echt niets voor mij, dit boek.
jojo_27's review against another edition
2.0
Recipe for Love is a Katie Fforde book set in the world of an off-brand Great British Bake-Off. Two of my favorite things, so to rights, I should have loved this book. And I did enjoy it, but it also left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I feel like Katie Fforde's standard protagonist is cheery, witty, misunderstood, underappreciated, clever, likeable, and has integrity. Zoe is all these things but the last, and that really put a damper on things for me. Maybe the fact that a contestant is having an affair with a judge would be ok in Europe, and maybe I'm exposing myself as a prudish American, but whether or not Gordon Ramsay/Paul Hollywood was able to judge fairly wasn't really the point. I hated that I was siding with her conniving roommate, and certainly I don't approve of blackmail, but dammit if she didn't have a point.
Still a fun read, and I enjoyed seeing some of the characters from A Wedding Season, but I just couldn't get into this one the way I have with almost all of her other books.
Still a fun read, and I enjoyed seeing some of the characters from A Wedding Season, but I just couldn't get into this one the way I have with almost all of her other books.
amotisse's review against another edition
4.0
I do enjoy spending a day with some chic lit.
Relaxing, amusing, feel good, easy to read, fun and interesting characters.
Perfect for a lazy Sunday or any other day!
Relaxing, amusing, feel good, easy to read, fun and interesting characters.
Perfect for a lazy Sunday or any other day!
duartepatri's review against another edition
3.0
When I saw that Katie Fforde had written a book about cooking I thought it must be perfect since I love both her romance stories and cooking. The result though was quite disappointing, she did a great job with the cooking contest thing, she did mention very real things and the whole contest was pretty neat. The romance though was weak, far fetched and since I counted like 3 or 4 times they were really together I think that the whole "I love you and can't leave without you" bit was sort of immature. I missed some thoughtful moments and passion between the main characters and I had too much of Fenella and her whole lot.
j_elphaba's review against another edition
3.0
Opinião completa em: http://historiasdeelphaba.blogspot.pt/2015/05/receita-para-o-amor-katie-fforde-opiniao.html
A ficção romântica de entretenimento é, e espero que assim seja infinitamente, um dos meus refúgios para além do saber, um prazer sem compromisso necessário para o meu bem-estar e uma opção obrigatória, descomplicada, para associar a palavra leitura à felicidade. Digo-o sem preconceitos, apesar da minha formação académica, digo-o com a cumplicidade de uma apaixonada por histórias.
Com a apresentação do que procuro e encontro neste género literário, Receita Para o Amor é o que está exposto na sua sinopse e pouco mais, o mais vai depender do olhar de cada leitor. Receita Para o Amor é uma narrativa que mostra paixão, sabores e amizade através das suas personagens, caricaturas de emoções, e um enredo que aborda questões curiosas e sempre actuais.
Com um discurso fluido e descrições cuidadas que dão a ver inúmeros pormenores, cativando assim o palato e transmitindo sensações, Katie Fforde criou uma história bela, terna, que acentua laços e procura a empatia de quem lê, tendo sempre presente o seu foco central, os desígnios do amor.
A ficção romântica de entretenimento é, e espero que assim seja infinitamente, um dos meus refúgios para além do saber, um prazer sem compromisso necessário para o meu bem-estar e uma opção obrigatória, descomplicada, para associar a palavra leitura à felicidade. Digo-o sem preconceitos, apesar da minha formação académica, digo-o com a cumplicidade de uma apaixonada por histórias.
Com a apresentação do que procuro e encontro neste género literário, Receita Para o Amor é o que está exposto na sua sinopse e pouco mais, o mais vai depender do olhar de cada leitor. Receita Para o Amor é uma narrativa que mostra paixão, sabores e amizade através das suas personagens, caricaturas de emoções, e um enredo que aborda questões curiosas e sempre actuais.
Com um discurso fluido e descrições cuidadas que dão a ver inúmeros pormenores, cativando assim o palato e transmitindo sensações, Katie Fforde criou uma história bela, terna, que acentua laços e procura a empatia de quem lê, tendo sempre presente o seu foco central, os desígnios do amor.
eliza_reads_a_little's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Very lightweight.
gallant_crony's review against another edition
4.0
"When she first saw Gideon again she had thought ‘all for love and the world well lost’, only for her it meant the competition rather than the world."
There is nothing misleading about the title – yes, it is an escapist, incorrigibly romantic and sublimely beautiful book. If that’s not your preferred genre, leave this out of your reading list. This 19th book in a collection of 20 by the British romance novelist Katie Fforde is every bit the candy floss sweet, innately romantic, and fetching story. Largely set in an English country estate, Recipe For Love tells us the story of young Zoe who has been chosen as a participant in a televised cookery competition on the lines of Masterchef. Zoe dreams of winning the competition to open her own delicatessen to serve people home-style food that they can take away on-the-go instead of the uninviting packaged food that is available off shelves.
When she arrives at Somerby, the country estate where the filming will take place, Zoe is a bundle of nerves surrounded by fresh green grass and buttery sunlight. The owners of the estate, Rupert and Fenella (fondly called Fen) have given the house on rent to the production company partly because they don’t know what to do with the palatial house and partly because they could do with the money. After spending some time trying to distract herself from her restlessness, Zoe decides to take a walk and she bumps into Gideon Irving who not only happens to be a strikingly sexy man but also a judge in the competition. Sparks fly and we’re introduced to the love story that we’ll be reading about. A young contestant in a cookery show who falls in love with one of the judges. How this recipe turns out is what the book is all about. And while you’re at it, it helps that Rupert and Fen are easily the most positive and adorable characters in the book. A married couple who are the envy of the Gods themselves, they are hospitable, funny, and loved by all. Fen and Zoe become good friends right at the start of the book.
Enter Cher; Zoe’s room mate during the show and her fiercest competitor. Cher is blunt about the fact that she wants to win the competition only for fame and that she would go to any lengths to do so. She is the antagonist of the book, always hindering Zoe by her gilded evil ways. Cher is always at Zoe’s footsteps either trying to trip her down on peer over her back. She’s every bit the prim and propah barbie doll. In short, Cher’s character is a stereotype of the model-material girl.
The other characters in the book are the other contestants, the two judges Anna and Fred apart from Gideon, Zoe’s parents and best friend Jenny, and other tertiary characters. How Zoe walks the tightrope between being a contestant and being in love with a judge is to see. Some would say it isn’t fair to have cheating in a setting such as this, but hey, it’s a romance novel, and those who lap it up don’t seem to be complaining. To add to this, the writing of the book is very good indeed.
As she looked for the shop she saw Fearnley was indeed the perfect town for a specialist food shop. A range of antique and gift shops punctuated the hotels and tea rooms and shops selling china, frocks and homewares. The town had been a tourist honey pot for hundreds of years; it was probably time it had something to cater for the second-home owners and the more enlightened retired army officers.
What I loved about the book were the challenges of the cookery show (because I’m a huge Masterchef fan); the setting of the story, a rustic and picturesque England; locals and their produce; the food and its preparation; the absence of an over-the-top narration, there were slips and disappointments too; and finally the fairness of the ending.
It’s been long since I read about the innocence and purity of love, the good-naturedness of friends, the tugging of heartstrings by nature, the support of family, and the achieving of a dream however compromised it may be.
All in all, Recipe for Love made me really happy. It was plain, simple joy. If you’re looking to be delighted at the hands of a paperback, Recipe for Love it should be.
"Swallows skimmed the surface catching flies and wagtails went about their business reminding Zoe of a poem she’d learnt in childhood. From deeper in the woodland a bird sang…"
There is nothing misleading about the title – yes, it is an escapist, incorrigibly romantic and sublimely beautiful book. If that’s not your preferred genre, leave this out of your reading list. This 19th book in a collection of 20 by the British romance novelist Katie Fforde is every bit the candy floss sweet, innately romantic, and fetching story. Largely set in an English country estate, Recipe For Love tells us the story of young Zoe who has been chosen as a participant in a televised cookery competition on the lines of Masterchef. Zoe dreams of winning the competition to open her own delicatessen to serve people home-style food that they can take away on-the-go instead of the uninviting packaged food that is available off shelves.
When she arrives at Somerby, the country estate where the filming will take place, Zoe is a bundle of nerves surrounded by fresh green grass and buttery sunlight. The owners of the estate, Rupert and Fenella (fondly called Fen) have given the house on rent to the production company partly because they don’t know what to do with the palatial house and partly because they could do with the money. After spending some time trying to distract herself from her restlessness, Zoe decides to take a walk and she bumps into Gideon Irving who not only happens to be a strikingly sexy man but also a judge in the competition. Sparks fly and we’re introduced to the love story that we’ll be reading about. A young contestant in a cookery show who falls in love with one of the judges. How this recipe turns out is what the book is all about. And while you’re at it, it helps that Rupert and Fen are easily the most positive and adorable characters in the book. A married couple who are the envy of the Gods themselves, they are hospitable, funny, and loved by all. Fen and Zoe become good friends right at the start of the book.
Enter Cher; Zoe’s room mate during the show and her fiercest competitor. Cher is blunt about the fact that she wants to win the competition only for fame and that she would go to any lengths to do so. She is the antagonist of the book, always hindering Zoe by her gilded evil ways. Cher is always at Zoe’s footsteps either trying to trip her down on peer over her back. She’s every bit the prim and propah barbie doll. In short, Cher’s character is a stereotype of the model-material girl.
The other characters in the book are the other contestants, the two judges Anna and Fred apart from Gideon, Zoe’s parents and best friend Jenny, and other tertiary characters. How Zoe walks the tightrope between being a contestant and being in love with a judge is to see. Some would say it isn’t fair to have cheating in a setting such as this, but hey, it’s a romance novel, and those who lap it up don’t seem to be complaining. To add to this, the writing of the book is very good indeed.
As she looked for the shop she saw Fearnley was indeed the perfect town for a specialist food shop. A range of antique and gift shops punctuated the hotels and tea rooms and shops selling china, frocks and homewares. The town had been a tourist honey pot for hundreds of years; it was probably time it had something to cater for the second-home owners and the more enlightened retired army officers.
What I loved about the book were the challenges of the cookery show (because I’m a huge Masterchef fan); the setting of the story, a rustic and picturesque England; locals and their produce; the food and its preparation; the absence of an over-the-top narration, there were slips and disappointments too; and finally the fairness of the ending.
It’s been long since I read about the innocence and purity of love, the good-naturedness of friends, the tugging of heartstrings by nature, the support of family, and the achieving of a dream however compromised it may be.
All in all, Recipe for Love made me really happy. It was plain, simple joy. If you’re looking to be delighted at the hands of a paperback, Recipe for Love it should be.
"Swallows skimmed the surface catching flies and wagtails went about their business reminding Zoe of a poem she’d learnt in childhood. From deeper in the woodland a bird sang…"