Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. I will also say that I'd purchased a copy, pre-publication, because I didn't want to miss it.
This is another that Lake Union, who honestly has yet to fail me on a book, got right. This debut author did a great job making us feel Elle's life turning upside down, and by using narrative that goes to past and present (and is clearly laid out in clever parts) we can see what we all learn at some point: when marriages have rough patches, it's rarely one thing and it's usually a combination of reasons. To make this even more special, the author gives us some amazing recipes that I can't wait to try. I highly recommend this title, and again: at this point I have two, and I'm not sorry about that.

THE INGREDIENTS OF US by Jennifer Gold
This book started out making me cry and I pretty much cried all the way through. As much as I truly hate cheating in a marriage I started feeling bad for Tom. I felt super bad for Elle, but I just felt like Tom got lost. There were things he wanted so bad yet could never seem to have. Family being one and the most important one for him. Elle loves Tom even more than baking. He’s the love of her life and always will be. He told a few lies along the way but I still felt for him. My heart broke for this couple actually. The recipes do sound so very good and I may even try a few of them as I love baking. But spending all of your time working can ruin a marriage in many ways. Not that I put this on Elle by any means. They both had troubles. They both were hurting in ways that only reading this book will explain so you understand.
This is the first book by this author and it gives me strong hope for even more. I was hooked from the very first. The love story and the way it jumped around made it perfect. The way she incorporated recipes to explain some things was perfect. Even the saddest parts were done to perfection.
The characters are perfect. The settings are perfect. It’s just an all around wonderful and heartbreaking story of true love. Love lost. Recipes that will make your mouth water and your tummy growl. I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down even with company from Mexico here.
Thank you so much #NetGalley and #Lake Union Publishers for this sweet story of heartache and love.
I had to give it 5 stars. I highly recommend this one.

This book is a delicious read a book of a marriage with issues a book of food incredible recipes a first time author who I will be following.A book I will be gifting to friends so special a wonderful read #netgalley #lakeunion

🎂🎂🎂🎂🍰 (4.5)

A delicious debut novel from Jennifer Gold. Perfect summer read and when you are done, you will have a few yummy dessert recipes!

This book goes back and forth in time, effortlessly from Elle and Tom’s courtship till their present troubles. Anyone who has ever dealt with insecurities in your self or a relationship, will see yourself in Elle. Tom, is searching for something also.

The recipes described follow the storyline completely along with the references of food describing certain characters and feelings. Take the time to read them because they add so much to this story. Just when you think you know where the story is going, the author changes direction in subtle ways. Just as you bite into a new dessert, this book revels many surprises.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for this ARC, a sweet work of fiction. Opinion is mine alone. I look forward to reading this author again.

DIAGRAM OF A MARRIAGE

THE INGREDIENTS OF US by Jennifer Gold is a diagram of the marriage between Ellie (a successful partner in a bakery) & Tom (a Professor turned online tutor). This book covers their relationship from when they met to the present. Gold writes as if she’s telling this story to her friends. For every event - good, bad & ugly - Ellie works things out through her baking. Gold includes Ellie’s Recipes in the book and reading them will make you hungry and will also make you laugh as she writes humorous little quips throughout her Recipes. Like many people, she has her Favorite Recipes that she turns to for comfort during certain times in her life, Recipes that are certain people’s favorites and Recipes that were passed down from someone. As you read the pages of this book, you will understand why Gold keenly chose the title THE INGREDIENTS OF US. I was provided an ARC of this book by Lake Union Publishers And NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

**THIS BOOK CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE & ADULT SITUATIONS.**

This light well written debut novel is a perfect summer read. No only do you get a great plot with interesting characters but there are also lots of fantastic recipes, too. The recipes are for everything from blackberry jam to lemon tarts and espresso seduction brownies. Even if you aren't a baker, these recipes will make you wish that you were!

Elle owns her own bakery and has been baking for her entire life. She bakes when she's depressed and she bakes when she's happy - baking is her personal therapy. The book begins with Elle finding out that her husband has been cheating on her. She knew that they weren't as close as they had been but had no idea that he was cheating on her. As she works through her emotions, she continues to put long hours in at her bakery aware that she won't be able to expand her business. Her recipes tie in with what is going on in her life. For example in a chapter that is about her best friend, she bakes "Ginger Peach Pie with a Friend". Will Elle be able to move on with her life without her husband - the only person that she loved more than she loved baking?

This book is told in a unique time frame. It jumps back and forth from present day to past days but not in a linear way. Chapter 1 is "six days after Elle found out' and Chapter 2 is "Eight days before Elle found out". It's an interesting way of writing the story and isn't difficult for the reader to follow all the time changes.

This is a light read full of interesting characters along with mouth watering recipes. Have a snack close at hand when you read it - you're going to need it.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Jennifer Gold’s debut novel is literally delicious. Elle and her partner have a successful bakery and are on the verge of opening a second when she discovers that her husband Tom has been cheating on her. As she deals with the fall out and tries to figure out how they got to this point, she examines their past as she comes to terms with her present.
Told in alternating timelines, delineated by before and after she finds out about her husband’s infidelity, and interspersed with delicious recipes that fit her feelings at each point, the story is a beautiful study of life, especially the intricacies of a marriage when both are not necessarily on the same page on what they want out of the marriage.
With fully developed main and secondary characters and a well-written story, I was immersed in the story from the beginning. Watching how Elle dealt with her situation and feelings that were authentic and so real, especially for anyone who has been through anything similar. The ending was completely unexpected, but perfect.
I love to bake and I can’t wait to try some of these recipes. I also can’t wait to see what Gold comes up with as a follow-up to this debut.
#TheIngredientsofUs #JenniferGold #LakeUnionPublishing

Sweet, but slightly lacking? There's a real disconnect between the words on the page and the emotions being conveyed- particularly about as volatile a subject like an affair. You're thrown into the middle of a world you don't know, bombarded with new characters and it feels a bit unsettled. I'd have liked a little more depth to the story, even in just the very beginning when we're meeting the main characters. You never quite know them as people- merely passers-by, I guess.

Pretty good book. A little hard to follow sometimes with the going back and forth in time. But a good beach read if nothing else.

Elle feels like her life is over when she discovers her husband has been cheating. Elle is a talented baker who makes her living creating food for others in her little bakery, but now she begins to look at food differently. She delves into her past comparing her life and it’s events with the food she has made, trying to find a connection between the two. This is a gentle and heartwarming story about A woman trying to find a way forward after her life has imploded

Life is made of all kinds of ingredients. Sweet love, bitter betrayal, Salty messes! This book has it all and mouth watering recipes that are a story unto themselves! A delicious read for the summer!

Elle owns a successful bakery, but her marriage is on the rocks after she discovers husband, Tom, has been cheating on her. The story alternates between before and after the affair so that the reader gets a taste of how Elle and Tom met and what their relationship was like before the split. Will they be able to reconcile? Just like a recipe, how will their lives need to be adjusted so they can both achieve the desired results?

"Here's something life doesn't give you: a recipe. You have to make it up as you go along, adjusting accordingly."

First of all, this cover, you guys! It makes me want to eat CAKE. Secondly, the whimsical, fun writing drew me in from the very first pages. I am always a sucker for food references in books and the metaphors and similes made me happy. Take this one for instance:

"As if you yourself were a lemon, let your bitterness pour into this recipe--the more the better. In this case, life's lemons yield sweet lemon curd."

Third, the way the author described grief as sometimes hitting out of nowhere was absolutely SPOT ON. Overall, this was a very sweet, promising debut, and it makes my mouth water for more by this author!

"There's satisfaction in knowing someone so well... Like a recipe by heart... So familiar that it feels a part of her ... Each knead like an argument, each release a kiss, until something has been made out of practically nothing, a string of separate of ingredients mixed together like a courtship until they make a whole, grown stronger by each trial."

Location: Seattle, Washington

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Ingredients of Us is a one of a kind novel that mixes womans fiction and a cookbook to create a unique story.

In this novel you are brought into the lives of Elle and Tom, a couple whose marriage is crumbling right before their eyes. Will they be able to find the recipe for love, or is it too late?

I have to say I enjoyed this style of book and found the recipes sounded delectable, and I will definately be trying a few. However, I personally struggled with the timeline that jumps around throughout the whole book.
Thank you to Netgalley, Lake Union and Ms. Gold for allowing me the opportunity to provide my honest opinion of this debut novel.

Elle documents the collapse of her marriage by moving backwards and forwards in time since the day she discovered her husband was unfaithful. Through these we learn more about her, her life, her friends and the whole relationship with Tom.
Interspersed throughout the book are her recipes for sweet, baked treats. Not set out in a traditional recipe book format but in her own words, as if she was telling you what to do, sitting at your kitchen island. Each recipe mirrors an emotion or event in her life.
This was an interesting read that didn't wrap itself up neatly with a little bow in the ending. Instead we are left with an open-ended ending, leaving much for one to reflect on and digest especially in terms of doing things for yourself by yourself and being honest about what you are and feel.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

This story was about love, friendship, achieving ones dreams, and of course BAKING! Elle (who owns a bakery) and Tom have had some trials and tribulations in their marriage. The story jumps from past and present about their relationship and how Elle gets through it all. I really enjoyed this book and all of the recipes look delicious (can't wait to try them)!! I wish she printed all of the recipes at the end of the book too so they would be easier to find! Thank you to Jennifer and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I look forward to reading more by this author.

"Here's something life doesn't give you: a recipe. You have to make it up as you go along, adjusting accordingly."
This is a story about a married couple, Elle and Tom, and their minced up marriage. The alternating time line this story is written in takes the reader back and forth from the present date and their struggles to the past in which the couple meets and events in between. There are tantalizing and life meaning recipes mixed into the story that relate to the current status of the relationship. It all blends well and brings the story together as the "ingredients" are added. Sometimes a recipe is a success and sometimes it's not. Sometimes the "ingredients" are sweet and tasty. Other times they are sour and unsavory. That's what life is. It's not always a "bowl of cherries" nor is it always a "burned cookie". A recipe comes together because all the ingredients blend well and it takes all of them to make a perfect product. That's what the challenge is for Elle and Tom. "Each knead like an argument, each release a kiss, until something has been made out of practically nothing, a string of separate ingredients mixed together like a courtship until they make one whole, grown stronger by each trial, each compression under two palms."
This story made me feel the struggles of a bad situation caused by Tom. But then, how culpable is Elle in the condition of their marriage? I kept hoping for the best. There are so many feelings that Elle goes through. From questioning her worth to anger to self doubt. She takes those feelings and channels them into the delectable recipes that are scattered along the way. They made me hungry for her to be happy and I wanted to have some of those treats to try myself! It was a unique and interesting structure to this book. I enjoyed the recipes and the little tidbits and hints on how to get emotions and feelings released as the recipe is prepared.
"Imagine your husband cheated on you; what do you bake? Pies are too cheerful, cookies to festive, chocolate mousse to sensual-you probably decide on jam. Something to pulverize."
Ms. Gold wrote a combination recipe book and a fiction book that came together very well. She uses such great culinary descriptions that entices hunger to know what happens to Elle's and Tom's relationship and kept me turning the pages. This passage is indicative of such descriptions:
"Trace your finger along the inside of your mixing bowl; savor the way the frosting melts into nothing on your tongue, leaving behind only the memory of its presence, like a beautiful woman leaving a room."
This is a great debut book by this author and I do look forward to reading more of her work.
I want to thank Netgalley, Lake Union and Ms. Gold for the opportunity to read this unique book.

Elle meets the man of her dreams only to find her marriage drifting apart a few years later. This book was written in a way that takes back and forth between past and present that will have the reader following Elle and Tom from when they first met, to when they drifted apart and everything in between. The big question is.... is their marriage over forever or could a favorite recipe bring them back together?

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book and enjoyed it very much. The characters are well described and you can relate to the relationships. The recipes are a fun bonus! I love how she wove the recipes into the story line.

I really liked the recipes sprinkled throughout the book - especially the way in which they were written. Each recipe was tied to a person or memory in Elle's life and you could sense her state of mind when she wrote the recipe.

The plot itself was interesting, but a bit slow at times for me. I didn't particularly care for Elle or Tom - it seemed that they were both at fault for their failed marriage in that they weren't honest and upfront with one another. Tom seemed pretty clear from the beginning that he wanted a family, where Elle was more interested in growing her bakery business.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing a copy for review

Excellent Recipe From a Debut Author. This story uses dates rather than chapter numbers, which can be a bit confusing but clearly establishes when each event is taking place. As a story, it works well to show the full cycle of a marriage and all of the messiness that goes into it.

The one quibble I have as a childfree person is that the author never allows Elle, the main character, to truly be comfortable with what she knows about herself.

The Ingredients of Us is one of the most unique books I have ever read. The story switches back and forth from the date Elle discovers her husband, Tom, has been cheating on her….. after the date and then before the date. The story falls into place easily but the telling is so unique! Elle is a baker, and sprinkled generously throughout the book are her recipes which are also unique. Each recipe tells a story that is part of Elle’s love of baking. I enjoyed each and every recipe! I think about Ginger Peach Pie with a Friend, or Heart-Stopping Cheesecake and sigh. And I think about her husband, Tom, one of the few people she has ever loved more than baking. (Elle’s words, not mine.) I do recommend this book! It will grab you from the first page!
Thank you Net Galley for the Arc.