Lost Art of Mixing...Review

About the book:
National bestselling author Erica Bauermeister returns to the enchanting world of The School of Essential Ingredients in this luminous sequel.

Lillian and her restaurant have a way of drawing people together. There’s Al, the accountant who finds meaning in numbers and ritual; Chloe, a budding chef who hasn’t learned to trust after heartbreak; Finnegan, quiet and steady as a tree, who can disappear into the background despite his massive height; Louise, Al’s wife, whose anger simmers just below the boiling point; and Isabelle, whose memories are slowly slipping from her grasp. And there’s Lillian herself, whose life has taken a turn she didn’t expect. . . .

Their lives collide and mix with those around them, sometimes joining in effortless connections, at other times sifting together and separating again, creating a family that is chosen, not given. A beautifully imagined novel about the ties that bind—and links that break—The Lost Art of Mixing is a captivating meditation on the power of love, food, and companionship.

I adored.  Absolutely and utterly adored The School of Essential Ingredients.  It came as part of a package when I received The Lost Art of Mixing so that I could read it first.

While food features so prominently with the relationships in The School of Essential Ingredients, it doesn't here.  There, the story revolved around the recipes; the cooking and ingredients.  Smell and aroma were very evocative.  Here, we see remembrances of days past and how they blend into the future.  Relationships that seem to be whispers and fleeing touches instead mix together into a rich tapestry of friendship and love.

Like the first novel, the characters here tell their stories in alternating chapters and they all come together in the end.  Lillian, Chloe, Isabelle and Tom all return and we see new characters added and unexpected surprises.  I particularly enjoyed Isabelle who is more central to this story than Lillian.  The peek into Isabelle's world of forgotten memories is so bittersweet and yet, her influence on others is felt in so many subtle ways. I love Erica Bauermeister's grasp of language.  Her writing is expressive and lyrical and truly a joy to read.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to review this book.  You can learn more about Erica Bauermeister here.  You can purchase your own copy here.  You can see other reviews and tour stops here.

Friday, November 2nd:  Life in the Thumb
Monday, November 5th:  She is Too Fond of Books
Monday, November 5th:  Savvy Verse and Wit
Tuesday, November 6th:  Savvy Verse and Wit - The School of Essential Ingredients
Wednesday, November 7th:  Book Chatter
Thursday, November 8th:  Books and Movies
Friday, November 9th:  Book Club Classics!
Monday, November 12th:  Peeking Between the Pages
Tuesday, November 13th:  girlichef
Wednesday, November 14th:  Library of Clean Reads
Thursday, November 15th:  2 Kids and Tired
Friday, November 16th:  Adventures of an Intrepid Reader
Monday, November 19th:  WV Stitcher
Tuesday, November 20th:  Joyfully Retired
Wednesday, November 21st:  Silver and Grace
Friday, November 23rd:  A Chick Who Reads
Monday, November 26th:  Diary of an Eccentric
Tuesday, November 27th:  Mom in Love with Fiction
Wednesday, November 28th:  Book Dilettante
Thursday, November 29th:  Southern Girl Reads
Friday, November 30th:  Peppermint Ph.D.
Monday, December 3rd:  Just Joanna
Tuesday, December 4th:  No More Grumpy Bookseller
Wednesday, December 5th:  HopefulLeigh
Thursday, December 6th:  Sidewalk Shoes
Friday, December 7th:  Book Addiction

Read 11/12

* * * *
4/5 Stars

Comments

  1. I am looking forward to reading this one, I really enjoyed The School of Essential Ingredients.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was contacted just yesterday to review this one, and I am so excited about it!! I have read both of her other books, and loved them, and I am really excited to get the chance to read this one as well. Excellent and very thoughtful review today. I can't wait!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I adored The School of Essential Ingredients too so I'm really excited about this book.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Looks like we had similar thoughts on both books! Wasn't it great to read the first book soon followed by the second?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Doesn't she just have a way with words!? I did miss the food, but still loved this read! =)

    ReplyDelete
  6. It is always a treat to read a follow up novel that is just as good as the first one!

    Glad you enjoyed this book. Thanks for being on the tour.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment