The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake by Rachel Linden (Sept 30, 2025) Thank you, @prhaudio for the free advanced listening copy! #prhaudioinfluencer
Jules Costa and her roommate have a successful internet cooking show where they share vintage recipes and they are on the cusp of hitting the big time. But just when Jules thinks all the pieces are about to fall into place, everything falls apart. Seeking personal solace and professional inspiration, she returns to her family’s Italian olive farm for the first time since a tragedy years ago. She’s hoping to work through her grandmother’s recipe book that she remembers fondly from her childhood.
Jules quickly discovers something unbelievable and extraordinary – the cookbook only reveals one recipe at a time and the recipe is designed to bring the person who prepares and eats the dish clarity through a vision of the future. But for Jules, the cookbook remains frustratingly blank. Adding to the frustration is a half-sister she barely knows, the precarious financial situation of the farm, and her childhood first love is back at the farm next door. Then there is the mystery of the recipe for orange blossom cake, which may just be the answer to everything.
This is a tender, gorgeously written story about family, forgiveness, and self-discovery. Rachel Linden’s lush descriptions will make you crave every dish and dream of long, slow summer evenings at a table full of food, wine, and love. While there’s a delightful second-chance romance woven in, the true magic is Jules’s journey to find her voice, her passion, and her place. I especially loved the way her relationship with her younger half-sister unfolded – the reminder that there is no such thing as “half family” was deeply moving.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: This was my first book narrated by Taylor Harvey and wow did she shine! American and Italian accents, young and old characters, and tons of personalities. It was a real treat on audio! (13h 43m)
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🎧 Audio performance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🔥 Spice: Closed Door
Book Smart Kate 