If you haven’t read any of Karen Hawkins books about Dove Pond, you’re missing out! The books are about family and friends and set in a small town atmosphere. The Dove sisters each have their own unique qualities about each one of them that brings an extra special touch to each of the books. This book is about Ella’s journey back to Dove Pond. There’s something that happened back before she left Dove Pond and she’s determined to deal with it.

I was not familiar with Karen Hawkins' previous work so I was not sure what to expect with The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove.

The first chapter I found myself intrigued by the story immediately. Ella Dove, a young girl who had recently lost her father, was adrift in life and lonely in her own family. After her runaway attempt, she ends up at a family friend's house.

The problem is after that first chapter, the book became so boring. I made it 1/3 of the way through. Ella Dove was not a main character in a book with her name in the title. I am all about character driven books, one was even my favorite so far of 2023, but The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove falls so short. No real story. Too many characters that don't have any impact on the story.

There are too many good books out there for me to continue to waste my time. I am out.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove is third in the Dove Pond series by Karen Hawkins. Ella Dove is a famous baker whose videos gain her millions of followers. She's leaving Paris when she decides to make a quick visit home, the titular Dove Pond. She plans to stay with her sisters, Ava and Sarah, at Dove House while she plans the next step in her career. A few days at most. Angela, recently widowed, is also returning to Dove Pond for a "visit." She plans to reconcile with her daughter and sons but a misunderstanding snowballs into a comedy of errors. Angela was once Ella's mentor and good friend. When Angel's family's Book of Cakes disappears, everyone blames Ella and a rift grows between the friends. Ella hopes that now is the time to fix the misunderstanding and heal old wounds before she bounces off to her next gig. When has anything ever gone as planned in small town America? This was a light, fun story . The characters are people you'd like to befriend, and who wouldn't want to live in such a town? Ella has five sisters so here's hoping for more about the Dove sisters of Dove Pond. Many thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read an ARC.

I love Dove Pond and the Dove sisters! Reading this book was like coming home again. I wish I could live there too and be a Dove sister with a special ability.

This is book three in the series, and this one focuses on Ella and her magical baking.

I didn't quite love this one as much as the first two, but it was still very enjoyable. What I really did love was Ella coming home and finally being a part of Dove Pond.

What I didn't like as much were some of the side characters. One in particular was actually very annoying.

Overall, though, it was another great addition to this series, and I can't wait to see what's in store for the Dove sisters next.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove~ Hallmark could take a page out of this book. Ella dove haunted by strawberry frosting when she wakes from dreams of her hometown of Dove Pond. How does she shake this frosting dream? Who does she need to make things right? Gray, is he the love of her life. Angela, her old friend who has her own issues to deal with. Jules, protector (mom) of Gray and her accuser of Ella on stealing the Book of Cakes. How does Ella handle all the ups and downs of being back in Dove Pond.

Thank you NetGalle for this wonderful ARC!

This is one of those series where I wish new releases would be more frequent since I tend to forget which sister has which ability and the reasons for their unease with each other. Karen Hawkins does a good job of reminding readers of each person, but there are still a few tidbits floating in the back of my mind that aren’t coming to the surface.

Like other readers, I didn’t think this book had as much of a magical twist as the previous books. The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove was more of a slow-burning book of infatuation and then realizing the right person has been in front of you the whole time.

I have no idea what the next sister’s story will be, but I hope the author will get back to the magical realism that originally brought me to this series.

The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove gave me all the cozy Good Witch vibes. Karen Hawkins’s writing is definitely that of someone who knows the job and is ever evolving. This book glitters with conflict and it kept me turning the page, and added a bit of fun and mischief to the story at the same time. I adored this book.

Although a bit corny at times, I really enjoy the Dove series. All of the Dove sisters have a special power, as the series is a perfect example of magical realism. Ella’s special power is baking, and the baked item brings back good memories to the person consuming the baked good. Ella is a social media star, with devoted followers. Ella has always travelled, leaving behind broken hearts. When she comes home to figure out a problem she is having, Ella becomes involved with all the local people she has been avoiding. I enjoyed the book and recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was another fun and enjoyable read for me. The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove is the third book in a series by author Karen Hawkins. They all center around the 7 Dove sisters that were born and grew up in Dove Pond. What I enjoy the most about reading these books is that they all have a bit of magic in them. The author writes magical realism so it’s almost believable and it adds just a touch of whimsy to the stories. This book centers around the sister Ella. She’s a bit of a wanderer. Her specialty is baking and she has a huge social network following. She also has a fellow back at home in Dove Pond who is deeply in love with her. This story centers around that love between her and Gray and all the obstacles of lies, and complicated family members that they have to deal with. It was a great read and I love how the story concluded. The little found surprise at the end I believe will be the premise to the next book by this author. This is a series I thoroughly enjoy and highly recommend. I’d like to thank Abigail Cardello at Simon & Schuster for inviting me to read it by sending me a widget and NetGalley for the arc. I’m giving this a 5 star rating and can’t wait to read what’s next by Karen Hawkins!

What a fun return to Dove Pond! I forgot how much I had enjoyed The Book Charmer until I picked up The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove.

This magical realism book set in North Carolina is very character driven and will sweep you away after the first page,

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Once again, Karen Hawkins quickly swept me into all the ups and downs of life in Dove Pond, and within the Dove family, holding me there, happily flipping pages to discover what would happen next, until the very end.

These books are character driven and oh, what flawed, complex, delightfully complicated characters they are. Do I like them? Do I despise them? Do they make me laugh? Cry? Cheer for them or want to toss them off a cliff? Yes, to all of the above. Hawkins' characters are realistic. They're relatable. They embody emotions - and issues - many of us face in our daily lives. They're also quirky, sometimes devious, beautifully developed by the author, and always entertaining.

I love Hawkins' sense of humor which is on full display in this book, especially in the scenes featuring Angela. Her interactions with both Ella and with Gray had me frequently chuckling and often laughing out loud while those with her daughter brought a depth of emotion that gave substance, tension, and hope to a fraught relationship.

There are so many layers to Ella and Gray. I enjoyed their second chance at romance. While not the primary focus of this book, it holds a fair amount of weight in the overall story, especially as it relates to Ella's personal evolution, and comes with a happy ending. I appreciate that Hawkins devoted time to each character's issues and their individual growth as well as the slow progression into becoming a romantic couple. By the end of the book, I was firmly in their corner. And, bonus! Who knew Gray would come with a Highland Coo calf who is most definitely "Adorbs." I can't wait to see more of these three in future books (hopefully).

I've been reading Karen Hawkins for a long time. Her Scottish historical romances are among my favorites but this new contemporary fiction series with romantic elements, family dynamics, and a touch of magical realism is hitting all of my happy spots. Hawkins' Dove Pond stories touch my heart, tickle my funny bone, and leave me eager for more. I highly recommend this book and this series.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley. Fair and unbiased review.

I just want to be right upfront and say that what drew me to this book 1st was the author. I have read a few other Karen Hawkins books and she never misses. The 2nd thing was the simple yet eye catching cover. Who doesn't love baked goods? I didn't even realize that this was part of the Dove Pond series.

I was hooked from the first chapter. I love the intertwining story between Ella, Angela, Jules, and Gray. They are all from the same small town (Dove Pond) founded by Ella's ancestors. Ella is 1 of 7 sisters and they ALL possess some sort of magical gift. Ella's happens to involve baking. Angela is the matriarch of a local family that struck a friendship with the much younger Ella. Ella has a romantic past with Angela's grandson, Gray then a break-up and stolen cookbook later and these 2 are locked in a battle of wills. Angela was my 2nd favorite character honestly.

The story moves along at a pretty good pace and I really enjoyed it. It does have a HEA ending as well as some foreshadowing to carry you over to the next in the series. I also am invested in Dove Pond now, so I'll be reading the first 2 books as well. I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars simply because I found Ella's need for avoiding anything long-term started to get a little annoying towards the end. I loved the recipes including at the end of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Gallery Books for the ARC. All views discussed are my honest opinions.

The Dove Pond series focuses on one of the seven sisters of the Dove family with each book. This the third book in the Dove Pond series, so there are characters that first appeared in an earlier book. Ella is a well-known baker who has returned home to Dove Pond, a place she doesn't want to be, but knows she must return to for some reason, She only intends to stay a few days, but best laid plans often don't work out. The relationship between Ella and The Stewarts: Angela, Jules, Gray and Mark is the focal point of the novel, specifically over a missing heirloom that Ella was accused of taking. There are some magical elements to the book that make it a charming, heartwarming, and delightful read.

The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove is the third installment in Karen Hawkins’ Dove Pond series. This novel features third from youngest daughter of the seven Dove sisters. Ella has always been a bit different from her sisters and sought to escape from a place that didn’t seem to understand her. From a tender age with few belongings in her book bag heading for the bus station in a snowstorm to a celebrated pastry chef with over a million followers, it would seem Ella has achieved her goals. But there is this strange dream that is taking over and leaving it’s reminder on the waking plane that leads Ella back home.

A few years earlier there had been a misunderstanding between Ella, Angela Stewart Harrington, and her daughter Jules Phillips over a missing family heirloom Jules insists Ella has taken regardless of how much Ella denies it. Then there is the added issue of Ella having broken up with Jules’ son Gray that adds fuel to the fire. It seems this crazy, repetitive dream has to do with these people and Ella is convinced the only way to rid herself of this dream infliction is to return to Dove Pond and set things straight once and for all.

Although many are happy to see Ella home, Jules is definitely not. Solving Ella’s predicament takes a circuitous route told with humor and heart. Ms. Hawkins’ fictional town of Dove Pond is so familiar in its similarities to lovely western North Carolina towns it makes one feel at home. Her characters are well drawn and multidimensional. And the plot line brings about a few surprises for the readers. I very much enjoyed this book and the series and look forward to the next installment in the series. I do recommend this book.

Ella Dove had two problems: she never stays in one place for too long and she does not do long term relationships.Both problems collide when she returns to Dove Pond to solve the dilemma of a dream she has every night and the strawberry frosting it leaves on various places on her body. She thinks she knows why and only one person can help Ella.
A very cute and fun book about relationships, love and magic. I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The latest book in the Dove Pond series of magical sisters continues with Ella, a baker. It has some elements of magic but not as many as the first two books in the series. The sisters are all gifted and Ella's gift is making food that causes people to relive memories. I really wish there had been more magic but I still enjoyed this latest installment of the series.

After Ella Dove sold her patisserie in Paris, she was free to move on to her next adventure. However, a weird, recurring dream, and strawberry frosting appearing on her body at different times, sent her to home to Dove Pond. There she hoped to clear her name, after being accused of stealing a cookbook, and put an end to the dreams and frosting. Little did she know that it would end up putting her on a path to self discovery. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. This is the first one I have read in the Dove Pond series. I will have to get the first two.

I’ve come to really enjoy the Dove Pond series (this is #3, I believe). This, like it’s predecessors is sweet and charming and what we hope is the best about small towns. A little romance, some wonderful quirky characters, all rolled into a quick read. Great for a little vacation escape.

I really enjoyed this story! This is the 3 rd book of hers and I loved the storyline and the characters! Highly highly recommend.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome back to Dove Pond, North Carolina. Ella Dove, the sister who least wants to be here, has come home, trying to figure out what she has to do to correct a mistake in the past that has been haunting her.

I love these stories, how we get to revisit Dove Pond and see what every favorite resident is up to. Ella is trying to get absolution for something she didn’t do and avoid Gray, the ex whose heart she did break. Throw in an Apple Festival, some family secrets, and the quirky townsfolk, and you get an adorable book.