Title: The Lost Recipe for Happiness
Author: Barbara O’Neal
First published December 30, 2008
452 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780553385519 (ISBN10: 0553385518)
Rating: 3.95
Overview
Barbara O’Neal’s The Lost Recipe for Happiness is a delightful tale that celebrates the magic of food, family, and love. Elena Alvarez is a talented chef who finally gets the chance to run her own kitchen in a world-renowned restaurant.
Despite her tragic past, Elena is determined to succeed with her grandmother’s recipes and her loyal companion, Alvin. But when she arrives in Colorado, she discovers that the restaurant is in dire need of a fresh start, just like she is.
And then there’s Julian Liswood, the enigmatic owner whose passion for food and life matches her own. With his troubled teenage daughter and a desire for stability and love, Julian’s dream of a family is within reach.
But for Elena, old wounds still haunt her, threatening her newfound happiness. Join Elena on her journey to find the lost recipe for happiness in this heartwarming novel.
About the Author
Barbara O’Neal writes women’s fiction that has topped the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Amazon Charts bestseller lists. She resides in Colorado with her partner, who happens to be a British endurance athlete.
Editoral Review
Open House by Elizabeth Berg is a captivating novel that revolves around the life of Samantha “Sam” Morrow, a middle-aged suburban housewife who has just gotten divorced. Despite feeling lost and alone, Sam decides to open her home in Cedar Falls, Iowa, to boarders in order to make ends meet.
This decision forms the crux of the novel, as it brings together a diverse cast of people under one roof, all searching for something different. Elizabeth Berg has been hailed as one of the most powerful voices in contemporary women’s fiction, and in Open House, she proves why.
The novel is a delicately crafted portrayal of loss, grief, and loneliness, but also of resilience, hope, and human connection. Berg’s prose is at once spare and evocative, allowing the reader to feel the full force of Sam’s emotions without ever becoming heavy-handed.
Berg’s characterizations are one of the strongest aspects of the novel. Sam comes across as a fully fleshed-out, three-dimensional character with flaws, quirks, and a lot of heart.
Her boarders, too, are portrayed with empathy and insight, each with their own distinct voice and backstory. From an elderly woman mourning the loss of her husband to a young couple struggling to start a family, each character feels authentic and real.
The novel’s pacing is a bit slow at times, but this works in its favor, allowing the reader to become fully immersed in the world of Cedar Falls and the lives of its inhabitants. Berg’s descriptions of the Midwestern landscape are particularly striking, transporting the reader to a place that is both familiar and foreign.
One of the main themes of the novel is the search for home – a place where one can feel safe, loved, and accepted. Berg explores this theme with sensitivity and nuance, highlighting the different ways in which people try to create a sense of belonging.
Whether it’s through decorating a room or cooking a meal, the characters in Open House are all searching for ways to make their temporary home feel like a permanent one. While Open House is not revolutionary in its plot or themes, it is a beautifully written novel that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt lost, alone, or in need of a fresh start.
Berg’s prose is piercingly honest and insightful, and her characterizations are rich and vivid, making this a novel that will stay with the reader long after they have finished it. Overall, Open House is highly recommended for readers who appreciate character-driven, introspective novels that explore the complexities of human relationships.
This is a novel that will appeal to fans of authors like Anne Tyler, Elizabeth Strout, and Alice Munro. It is a poignant and heartfelt exploration of what it means to be human, and it deserves a place on the bookshelf of anyone who loves beautiful writing and powerful storytelling.
