Well this was just a lovely read. Cooking books can go either way, either internal explorations or very frenetic, frantic recollections of kitchen craziness, and this is very much on the meditative side of the scale. Such a wonderful book.

Wow I loved this! What a perfect mix or therapy, finding the joy in simple things, and cooking!

Thanks to NetGalley / Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for a review.

I very much enjoyed the authenticity of the author in sharing her life and what it is like to be a cook/chef in the real world. I would have liked this a little more if it had been a little more like a traditional cookbook. As it was, just not sure it is something I would recommend to most people.

After the hustle and bustle of a particularly chaotic weekday morning recently, I found myself sipping coffee in a sunshine spot on my kitchen floor; apparently I was craving a sense of grounding so much that my body literally made its way there to pause before starting my workday. I've been contemplating that sunshine sit and a desire for grounding energy as I plan out my first reads of 2023, inviting for myself--and others--a sense of slowing down, calming energy and finding moments to rest (and, yes, ground ourselves in the present moment).

A re-read for me, as I remind myself in this season of busyness to attend to connection and care for myself and others: You Belong: A Call for Connection by Sebene Selassie (HarperOne, $16.99). "Although we are not one, we are not separate. And although we are not separate, we are not the same," writes Selassie, reminding us that care for ourselves is care for the greater good--and vice versa. That care may look slightly different for each of us, but at the heart of connecting with ourselves is connection with our community.

Continuing that hunt for community connection, I'm excited to pick up Now What? How to Move Forward When We're Divided (About Basically Everything) (Fleming H. Revelle, $21.99) by Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland, the second book by the co-hosts of the smart, nuanced political podcast Pantsuit Politics. It promises a path forward centered on hope and love instead of the fear and angst that plague so many hard conversations of late. Their first book, I Think You're Wrong, but I'm Listening (Thomas Nelson, $18.99), is also high on my list for remembering compassion in difficult moments.

I spent the last few months reading one short chapter from The How: Notes on the Great Work of Meeting Yourself by Yrsa Daley-Ward (Penguin, $17) each morning as a way to start my day, and I plan to start right back from the beginning upon completing it in its entirety. Poet Yrsa Daley-Ward turns her attention to our most intimate selves in The How, with short essays, poems and pages that read almost like guided meditations--all of which encourage us to go deeper into ourselves and find peace from within.

A cookbook and a self-help book all in one, Good Enough: Embracing the Joys of Imperfection and Practicing Self-Care in the Kitchen (Workman, $19.95) is, as author Leanne Brown describes it, a "gentle hug and whisper in your ear that you are stronger than you know, and you deserve love and care." As someone who grew up in a home that centered around the kitchen and a family that broke bread together on a daily basis, I am eager to return to cooking from a place of pleasure, joy and care (instead of hurried, harried obligation) and to embrace, as Brown suggests, the process instead of the outcome.

Apparently re-reads help me ground myself, because this is the third re-read I've got lined up for myself in the coming months: Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed (Vintage, $17). My original copy of Strayed's moving and heartfelt collection of advice columns is dog-eared, annotated and just about falling apart, so I look forward to preserving it on my shelf and adding this 10th-anniversary edition--complete with new content!--to my nightstand stack this season.

Whatever the new year may bring your way, may your books continue to ground you, bringing you peace, adventure, love, mystery and new perspectives along the way. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer

This is truly the cookbook for the zeitgeist. I love cookbooks for learning and expanding the food I eat but I'm not a chef. My knife skills aren't great, and I have no idea how to use my broiler. This is the book to make me feel ok about those limitations and just enjoy food and life.

This book was like a warm hug. I loved the writers previous book and the impetus behind it. This one was different, talking about her personal ebb and flow, as she sometimes struggled. It was helpful to read how she addressed her own struggles, and the foods that joined her along her journey. While it hit two of my interest areas, self-help and cooking, it might be frustrating for someone who is only interested in one of these topics.

Three are some really delicious recipes in this cookbook. I'm not that talented in the kitchen but they aren't too complicated either.

I really enjoyed the thought and openness in the book. Very easy to read and a lot of the feelings resonated with me.

Four Stars.
This is a cookbook with a great message. Sometimes life can be hard, and that can make self-care, including cooking, hard. Some days, as the author says, the best you can do is cold pizza eaten over the sink. If the idea of food and all the shopping and prepping and cooking that goes along with it stresses you out - even on your best days - this could be the book for you.

I love the prep and pantry stocking lists in the front -- they’re so useful for making sure you have a solid foundation for creating any meal. The essays are gold, the TL;DRs on the recipes are supercute, and every picture has a mouthwatering photograph. The recipes are clear and concise, made with basic, easy to obtain ingredients, but they do have varying skill and intensity levels that might not work for every cook every day. For example, I’m not sure that on a “cold pizza over the sink” kind of day that I will feel like putting together a pie crust for the corn chowder quiche. But the rest of the recipe is easy and delicious and probably would be just as great with a store bought crust. Just remember, whatever you make doesn’t need to be perfect, just “Good Enough”. The same goes for you.

I am so grateful to NetGalley and Workman Press for the opportunity to read and review Good Enough.

A moving, inspiring, and honest book with a lot of great ideas about how to nourish your mind and body.

This was a great motivational book that really made me feel more brave in the kitchen. Everyone can cook, and this book really sets that mood.

This is a lovely book for the right person. I understand the psychology that went into it and for that, it was well-done. It was organized well and I did love the TL;DR synopsis at the beginning of each recipe - a little helpful overview of what you'll be doing. I'm sure many people will love this book, and rightly so, but it just really isn't the cookbook for me.

Good Enough is a brilliant cook book, but it is also more than that. Food is such an integral part of life, it is how you show yourself and others love, how you take a break, how you live healthy and happily. But is there time for it? And what do you do when it is raining and you're in the grocery store and there is just nothing that looks familiar, and it all becomes a bit much? Leanne Brown has an answer to that, or at the very least a suggestion. From how to optimise your shopping, to how to take it easy while shopping, ways to make something tasty that is not hard, 'Good Enough' has it all. I will definitely revisit the recipes in this book in the future, but I will also be re-reading the essays here to find inspiration, find kinship, and get some comfort.

Good Enough is the perfect cookbook for anyone whose dishes don’t always turn out perfectly. If we’re honest, there are times that most of us get in a hurry, make a mistake with ingredients, or mess up on timing, so this book is really for everyone. Good Enough is not only a cookbook, but a self-help book that sets out to convince readers that less-than-perfect is good enough and that there is no reason to feel guilt because of it.

Included are helps on organizing, shopping, having a food storage program, feeling less guilt, and other subjects to help make our cooking experience easier and calmer so we don’t feel as stressed. The articles include illustrations which are delightful and colorful, making this a fun book to read, even when not cooking from it.

The best part of the book is the recipes, however, and many are fairly healthy, although there are several mouthwatering desserts that won’t go unnoticed. One of the best things about this cookbook is that there is a beautiful photograph of every recipe, so readers will know how their dishes are supposed to look when finished. Of course, less than perfect is “good enough,” but most of the recipes are quite easy, so most of us will get good to excellent results. The recipes are written in standard form, and are easy to follow.

All told, this cookbook is a bit different, but definitely good for a good read as well as a recipe book. Very fun!

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Some really good recipes in here that I'll be trying soon. I liked the sections about self care and how you can take care of yourself and others with good food.

I LOVED this cookbook! It is the perfect blend of helpful information and tasty recipes. So many cookbooks these days are highly aspirational in the kinds of recipes they share, this cookbook is attainable. Throughout there are helpful passages designed to relax and demystify some part of the cook process. I am looking at adding this to my personal collection and wholeheartedly encourage libraries to add it to their circulating collections!

I love a good cookbook. I truly love when they have a recipe or tips for every skill level, I love being able to see where I can progress to.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC digital copy. I have not been compensated for my opinion and this is an honest review.

Unfortunately, I was unable to finish reading this ARC digital copy before needing to switch to other books that were being archived. From the portion I read, this book is no longer on my Goodreads "want to read" list. I will update my review to reflect an updated opinion if I finish it at a later date..

I am a big fan of Leanne Brown's 'Good and Cheap' book so I was thrilled to review her newest publication. This was a lovely read - very self-help meets cookbook - and perfect for all of us working through the past few years. Much like 'Good and Cheap' this book uses easy-to-find ingredients and the recipes won't cost a lot of money. Yet the ingredient combinations suggest delicious, flavorful dishes! I especially look forward to preparing the Fast White Bean, Chorizo, and Hearty Greens Stew as well as the Banana, Date and Cashew Muffins!

Thank you, Workman Publishing Company and NetGalley, for a digital ARC!

Much more than *just* a delicious cookbook!

I'd say that this is just the cookbook many of us need right now--but actually, it's the cookbook all of us have always needed. Far more than just a provider of tasty recipes, Brown is that wonderful wise friend who understands that some days you can cook for a party, and some days you can only muster popcorn.

Like MFK Fisher and Laurie Colwin, Brown connects with her readers on the human level first, and her wide range of recipes, pantry lists, and super-simple but appealing noshes support her message of self-love. Brown strips cooking down in the best way--reminding us that it is a way of taking care of ourselves and others; of connecting or taking a moment for ourselves; of pushing to try new things or fully enjoying what is most familiar.

This is a wonderful book to read whether you are a "cook," or not.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. I found the book to be a satisfying read, for self care but found that recipes didn’t appeal much to me. I do agree that sometimes you just have to do what you can and sometimes that is snacks or easy options for meals. I look forward to reading more of her books.