I had purchased Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman quite some time ago and it was quietly tucked away on my Kindle. I needed a book with a yellow cover and decided to give this one a try. I assumed from the title that it was a historical romance but quickly found that yes, it is chick-lit but that it is set in the modern world. At first I was a little disappointed but all to soon this delightful book gathered me in and I very much enjoyed it.

The book isn’t really a romance at all. Instead it is the story of how a woman learns to like and admire herself, accept herself and realize that she can hold out for the best that life has to offer. It is also the story of a unique friendship between two stubborn and lonely women of different generations. And, best of all the story is served alongside some wonderful cooking scenes that truly had my mouth watering. Forty-to-be Kate and Ninety-seven year old Cecily meet when Kate volunteers at an old age home and although Cecily is quite caustic and contrary, they hit it off and Cecily gives Kate a unique cookbook that helps to guide Kate through the difficult year ahead.

Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies is a light-hearted and warm escape read that builds it’s story around themes of gaining confidence, building healthy relationships, and forming solid friendships. The wonderful descriptions of delicious recipes is an added bonus to this light and entertaining read. ( )

Enjoyable book. Great food. Lovely old people. ( )

Goodness, what a delightful book!

Things I loved:

- a 40-year-old protagonist, a sassy, cranky octogenarian, and omg, the FOOD.



- the relatability. Yes, I fully relate to feeling stuck, and yet not moving on from a job that you don't love because of fear.
- the menus in the book "Thoughts for Food". I love the entire concept

It's Kate's 40th birthday, and instead of everything coming together as she hoped, her life kind of falls apart. She finds herself without an apartment, on a "break" from her boyfriend, and living with her mom (while working a job she hates) Hoping to volunteer at an animal shelter, she ends up instead doing food demonstrations at a nursing home. It's here we first meet Miss Cecily - as she critiques Kate's cooking. I absolutely fell in love with Miss Cecily. She's feisty, she's outspoken, quite often flat-out rude - but underneath it all, there was something special. She used that feistiness to push Kate to want more.

I particularly loved the cast of characters in the book -they were fun, or fun to dislike.

This was a lovely, cheery, delightful read, but it was a bit long. (I could have done with a few less chapters on her ex-boyfriend and all his dysfunctions. I really didn't care for him anyway.)
Also, if you are the type of person who likes recipes interspersed throughout a book, you WILL be disappointed, because this isn’t that kind of foodie book. (This didn't bother me, but it may disappoint some.)

I won't spoil the fun, but definitely DO read the note from the author!

All in all, a lighthearted tale about being true to yourself, finding your true path, and unlikely friendships. Four-and-a-half stars (rounded to five here for rating purposes)

I was provided a copy of the book for review purposes. All opinions are my own. ( )

Pandemic read. I'd like to read Miss Cecily's book and cook from it. Glad to know some of the charming aspects are true. ( )

Volunteering at a retirement home was supposed to give Kate something to do when her self-absorbed boyfriend decided he wasn’t ready for her to move in with him. Kate met her match in Mrs. Cecily Finn, a grumpy 97-year-old. Both their love of cooking and Mrs. Finn’s believe that Nick, the boyfriend wasn’t worth Kate’s time, cemented a friendship. Mrs. Finn shared a cookbook with Kate that made a bond as Kate learned about Mrs. Finn’s life. And in the process Kate straightened out her life, leaving a boring job writing advertising copy for her own catering business and writing a cookbook. Of course, this book has a happy ending. If you are looking for a book to bring you cheer, this will do it. ( )