Anyone who has watched a cooking-themed Hallmark movie or has loved How to Eat A Cupcake, The City-Baker's Guide to Country Living, or The Girl Who Chased the Moon, grab Shipman's latest: The Recipe Box. Spanning multiple generations, she shares the story of capable, idea-inspiring women who have been at the heart of making the family orchard succeed for decades. The story centers on Samantha Nelson, Sam, who left her family's Michigan orchard to study at a prestigious school for pastry chefs. Upon moving to the city, she's employed by a TV baker who everyone in the culinary industry knows is a fraud. But regardless, connections and friendships are made; when she walks out on that job, she returns to the orchard. While Sam's there, she's reminded of everything that makes her family of bakers and their orchard so special. It's a heartwarming read that will have you reaching for anything sweet and delicious that's nearby!

The Recipe Box, for me, is a book that falls into the category of "this is a really nice book, but not particularly memorable." The strengths here are the recipes, which seem special enough because of the stories of the family's history with them, but simple enough that most home bakers can manage them, and the way the author weaves together the family's history and stories to connect the past and present. This will be a solid book to recommend to those who are looking for heartwarming, inoffensive, family-based stories.

The Recipe Box is a book that will make you cry. The characters were well written and had depth. I did get annoyed with Sam and her choices. I felt that she acted like a teenager up until Angelo left her on the bridge. The recipes at the end of each chapter were an added bonus and had me itching to make them. Also, starting the chapters with the recipe that was going to be featured at the end was great. Overall, a great book that I would recommend to family and friends.

ceived an ARC copy of this wonderful book from Netgalley. Take time to enjoy this story. Viola Shipman wrote the best book yet! This is a story about the simple truth of loving your family, realizing your path in life and how wonderful a kitchen is when the smell of baking permeates the air. You will want to go on a road trip to Michigan to hunt for an Apple orchard with your family to try and find a family like Sams. Viola Shipman captures your attention, making the words on the page turn into smells of yummy treats baking. It will make your mouth water!

I really enjoyed this book. Viola Shipman is a new to me author and I was definitely impressed with this first book. There is a nice easy flow to the writing and the characters are interesting and well developed. I'll definitely be looking for more books from this author.

Samantha Mullins is a young woman who wants to spread her wings and experience life away from the family orchard in Michigan. So off to NY she goes to attend culinary school and work in a prestigious bakery. She's humiliated when she returns home after quitting her job in NY. Working in the orchard and baking with all the wise women in her family teaches her small life lessons she missed when she was younger. Now her views have changed about what is truly import in life. Has she learned this lesson in time to get the man of her dreams?

I definitely recommend this one.

I love the way this author takes something that is ordinary and makes a beautiful story out of it. In this case, it's an old recipe box that is filled with time honored recipes, recipes of foods that were made with love by those who are now gone.

The recipes, the love, and the stories that go along with them are handed down from generation to generation. The stories from the past stay alive by the people who are making and sharing the food. You can just feel the love that is captured on those cards and the wisdom that is passed down from one family member to the next.

Sam comes home to lick her wounds after she quits her job in New York. The last place she wants to be is back at the family orchard. She has her sights set on more than that. But being home is just what she needs as she learns all about the recipes, stories, and love that are contained in the family recipe boxes.

The Recipe Box is such an amazing and beautiful story. And the author shares some delicious recipes as well!

Thank you to Thomas Duane Books/St. Martin’s Press for the free review copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

This novel was sweet in more ways than one. I felt connected to Sam right away because I have experienced the sense of not knowing exactly what I should be doing with my life. I think it’s wonderful that an author took the time for the character to be so unsure. It’s easy to try to make things work perfectly for a character, but Sam felt real – which is what I loved about this book.

The entire family dynamic felt like I was spending time with my family. All the interactions and relationships were genuine. I also enjoyed the recipes in the book. I can’t wait to try some of them.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc.

I really liked this story, and I think it would make a wonderful Hallmark movie. I love how the story painted itself into living and breathing characters right in my mind - the scenes of NYC and Michigan were both breathtaking and unforgettable. I would love to go to the pie pantry, pick apples, eat apples, and chat and have fun with family and friends. Willo was probably my favorite character, and I also loved how the story flashed back to previous Mullins women - I enjoyed both the prologue and the epilogue, I thought they were written beautifully. You don't need to look further than this book if you want a novel full of heart, wisdom, and inspiration... and food! Yum... all those desserts sounded delicious. I love how Sam baked things using family recipes, how they meant something to her and how she learned to follow her heart. Don't read this book on an empty stomach! (:

A sweet book about relationships and finding your way in life. It was heart-warming to see the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. The yummy recipes are a wonderful bonus.

This was a lovely book full of both life and baking wisdom (the recipes included sound soooo delicious!). It’s the story of an orchard and the generations of women who grew up living, loving and baking there, both for their families and the public. The story centers around a young woman in that family who wrestles with the question of where she belongs in the world and where her heart would have her be. While it’s pretty obvious how this story will turn out, it’s the different viewpoints of these women through a 150-year span, that give this story its true heart and charm. Enjoyable, sentimental read to remind us all to appreciate where and who we come from. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for the ARC.

If you are a fan of heart-felt stories that will whisk you away on a virtual mini-vacation, The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman is one to read. This book is a beautifully written story that will have you longing for a trip to Michigan. It also explores the theme of self-discovery through the use of recipes and a multi-generational cast of characters.

Having never read a Viola Shipman novel before, I had no idea that I was going to be transported into the story so easily. The passages and descriptions of the Michigan countryside are both breathtaking and vivid. I really enjoyed learning not only the history of the region, but the climate, and the gorgeous land formations.

Sam is a character that is easily relatable. She is a recently graduated pastry chef that is trying to decide which path to choose in life. Shipman takes Sam on this journey of self-actualization through her family’s recipe box. The recipes are ones that have been handed down from generations of women in Sam’s family. Each chapter in The Recipe Box is based on a recipe and even contains the directions for how to make it. The well-loved recipes are created by Sam throughout the novel and the history of her family helps her to decide her future path. It is such an interesting concept for a novel.

This is a story that really focuses on women and the many women that have shaped the orchard that Sam’s family owns. There are flashbacks to Sam’s great-grandmother, her grandmother, and her mother, as they are in different stages of their lives. The recipe box is the constant in each of the women’s lives, as it helps each of them achieve their goals. I really enjoy when a novel has a big family theme that portrays so many different generations.

Viola Shipman’s The Recipe Box is a wonderful story that is written beautifully. The theme of self-discovery in the novel is portrayed in a very unique way through the use of recipes and a multi-general cast of characters. I am looking forward to extending my enjoyment of this book further by recreating some of those mouth-watering recipes.

I enjoyed every moment of this book. Viola (Wade) captured northern Michigan beautifully and I loved the addition of the recipes that accompanied each chapter. A lovely story of family, food, and finding your way home.

The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman is a very special book. So special that I would consider it a 5 star read (something I do rarely). The book highlights what is truly important in life; love and family. Viola Shipman has written a book that is universal in its message.

The main character, Sam was trying to find herself and how she fit in life. She comes home to her family orchid after losing a job. Her connections with her mother and grandmother are shared when they bake together and discuss life while baking. Stories unfold from the different recipes from the Recipe Box (full of family recipes from the past). Each recipe brings warmth and love and stories that help illuminate the family, love, life and the strength of that.

I loved the book. Viola Shipman’s book is one I wholeheartedly suggest as a read for everyone. Bakers will love the old family recipes that are shared. Readers will connect with the characters as they show how they love and laugh. The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman is a fantastic read.

4 stars to The Recipe Box, a tale of love for family and the food that connects it! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Confession: I’ve bought all of Viola Shipman’s books because I cannot resist the covers! I was thrilled to read an early copy of the author’s latest book. Viola Shipman is actually a pen name for a male author who chose to write under his beloved grandmother’s name as a tribute to her. You can feel the author’s devotion to his grandmother, and his entire family, in these words, even though this is fiction and not intended to be any type of memoir as far as I know.

Another lovely aspect of this book was the coastal Michigan setting. How quaint, cozy, and gorgeous. At the heart of this story is Sam, an aspiring fancy NYC sous chef, who has to move back home to Michigan as a “failure.” Her family owns an orchard and pie shop. Sam has some scars, and its through cooking alongside the women in her family that she begins to heal. I loved that each chapter featured a recipe from the family’s recipe box.

Overall, a pleasurable read about women healing each other through their love of food. And because I can’t resist the pun, it’s the perfect “palate cleanser” between heavier reads.

Thank you to Viola Shipman, Thomas Dunne/St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley, for the complimentary copy.

This is definitely a feel-good book! About the importance of family, history, love, doing what is right, and strong, talented women. Reading this made me want to go to Michigan and find this orchard, meet these women and have some pie! An absolutely delightful read, plus some recipes that sound fantastic. I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley.

This book was delectable! I love the family traditions mixed in with the delicious recipes and the love stories. It reminds me a lot of The School of Essential Ingredients, one of my favorite books. I didn't think I'd ever find a book that I loved as much and The Recipe Box certainly did!

Samantha Mullins was more than ready to leave Michigan and the family orchard behind, but her job in New York was not at all what she expected. Being a sous chef for a spoiled celebrity baker made Sam nervous and stressed, so she quit in a spectacular fashion, leaving Chef Dimples hanging right before his appearance on Good Morning America, and went home to decide her next move. The familiar rhythm of the orchard and the pastry business comforted Sam, though she still longed to make her mark on the world. The love and support from her family and her friend Angelo help Sam determine what is really important in life.

I loved this book! It’s a solid family story, covering five generations in the orchard, and I enjoyed seeing the differences in the women that were still connected by their recipe boxes. The recipes in the book sound delicious and I plan to try several of them. I can relate to Sam’s venture into the big city, and then coming home and realizing that’s where she needed to be. Once again, Viola Shipman has written a sweet story with characters that are true to life.

The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman is a beautiful multi-generational family story. The Mullins family own a farm in Northern Michigan. The recipe box and its contents have been handed down through the years. Not only filled with wonderfully delicious dessert recipes made from their harvests, this box also contains the history and the traditions of this family. Told from the points of view of the women of the family, we learn of the hardships, determination and faith that made them such a tight-knit family. Although a bit sappy at times, I so enjoyed this “sweet” story. Be prepared to smile, cry, and crave sugar! I highly recommend!
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

The plot of The Recipe Box was too sweet, pun intended, for me.

This book should have been the perfect read for me. I come from a family of strong women, going back through mid-1800s, who held the family together and were excellent at home making skills. I cherish their recipes that we still pass down.

The author is fantastic at writing scenery, and I would read a nature or prose book of hers anytime if she's describing the Michigan agricultural scene, Lake Superior, apple orchards, etc.

The Recipe Box was provided to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Readers are in for a literal and literary treat.

Viola Shipman’s delectable story opens in the fall of 1939. Alice Mullins looks out the window of her northern Michigan farmhouse to see her husband, Leo, and their dog Mac approach from the orchard. Alice decides to make something special for Leo with the apples he brings her. While the apple crisp bakes, she writes down the oft-used recipe for the first time. A few days later, Leo presents his wife with handmade locked recipe box. For the next several weeks, Alice writes down every recipe she can think of—and keeps the key on a chain around her neck.

Fast forward to 2017. Sam Nelson, Alice’s great-great-granddaughter, has left home to follow her dream: attend culinary school and work in New York City. The twenty-four-year-old is a pastry chef on a reality TV show hosted by “Chef Dimples,” a pompous man with no culinary skills who relies on his staff’s creations. On a dreary summer morning, Sam arrives at work at the same time as Angelo Morelli, a young man delivering fruit to the bakery. After Angelo expresses his appreciation to the young woman for encouraging him to attend college, the two enter the premises—only to discover that Trish, another chef, has quit rather than continue working for their unscrupulous, callous boss. When Chef Dimples arrives, he orders Sam (in the absence of a “real” pastry chef) to make a pie for the show, which is being featured on Good Morning America.

In the first of many perfectly-placed flashbacks, we meet Sam on her 13th birthday. Disgruntled about having to spend another summer on the Mullins Family Orchard, picking fruit and greeting guests, she shares her desire to see the world beyond northern Michigan with her grandmother Willo and mother Deana. That evening, the new teen is introduced to two family traditions: her own recipe box and key, complete with recipes written over the generations, and a baking session. As grandmother, mother, and granddaughter prepare Sam’s first peach-blueberry slab pie, Willo tells her to make it whenever she wants a “taste of home and family” and to demonstrate that appearances are not what matters; what’s inside is what counts.

Back in the present, Sam recalls her grandmother’s words as she fingers the recipe box key worn on a chain—and bakes the unattractive but delicious peach-blueberry slab pie. Despite the fact that her boss obviously enjoys the pastry, he acts true to form. Chef Dimples throws it into the garbage, ordering Sam to bake a real pie. She has had enough: she quits.

Confused and unhappy, Sam flies back to Michigan, feeling like she is returning with her tail between her legs. Even though she keeps her recent experience a secret, her grandmother and parents sense there is something Sam is hiding—and find opportunities to talk about their own life events. Hearing how a young Willo sought out a deserted spot to rethink her life and whether what others expected of her was what she wanted for herself; the chance her recently-married father had to follow what he thought was his dream until a simple event opened his eyes; and the memory of a story about a teenage Deana’s experiences that mirrored her own all shed new light on Sam’s perception of reality.

However, before Sam has an opportunity to come to terms with everything, she receives two calls: one about a promising job opportunity in New York, and the second from Angelo—who drops the bombshell that he is coming to Michigan. Now Sam—with a little help from family and friends—must discover where her path lies.

Viola Shipman’s heartwarming novel is like a breath of fresh Michigan air. While there are many quality works of fiction published every year, one that tells a memorable story and is free of strong language, sex, and violence is a rarity. From the moment readers meet the scions of the Mullins family and those who carry on their legacy, they are hooked. All the people in Sam’s world—past and present—are believable. The author paints such a vivid picture of the settings, whether crowded Manhattan streets or secluded Lake Michigan beach, the reader can visualize the rain-dampened pavement and see and smell a dew-laden orchard at sunrise. Each chapter centers around a deliciously appropriate dessert, complete with a recipe at its end.

Shipman’s gift of language is nothing short of amazing: “The lake extended as far as Willo could see—a watery blue fabric that moved in the wind, the lighthouse watching over everything.” “Sam expected to smell the spices from the Indian restaurant, Naan Better, that occupied the ground floor of her Brooklyn apartment building and to see a brick wall across the narrow street that served as a sort of Broadway backdrop to the choreographed chaos of the city streets that greeted her every morning: people scurrying to work, cab horns blaring, sirens whirring, a world of music echoing up to her.”

By the time readers reach the end of this achingly lovely tale, they are certain to have a new favorite literary heroine (or two or three). It should not come as a surprise if, like this reviewer, readers find themselves returning to the beginning and treating themselves to a second helping.