Grab a cup of coffee and a slice of pie, and prepare to be transported to a lovely family orchard in Michigan. This beautiful book tells the story of a family of women and the legacy they leave behind through the sharing of secret family recipes. Each recipe shares the love and happiness of the woman that created it and is passed down through the generations. The story is told through the eyes of several family members and how their lives were impacted by running a the family orchard and pie pantry.
I really enjoyed reading this book, and felt I wasn't quite ready for the book to end. I enjoyed reading the stories of each character throughout the generations and love the fact that their recipes and traditions were handed down throughout the years. The legacy and familial bonds described throughout the book are special and I feel this story is one that will stay with me for a long time. Along with a great story, the author has included the recipes the characters make in the book, giving readers the chance to be transported back to the story with each recipe! I absolutely loved this book!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book!

I adored this book--it's characters, especially Sam, Willo and Angelo, the story, the recipes that are included, and even the Author's Note at the end that tells a little story about each recipe that is shared in the book. It is a story of three generations of women sharing recipes from a family recipe box. I love stories about families and food and how food can bring people together. There's one quote in the book that stood out for me and that was when Willo says to her granddaughter Sam, "There is nothing more important than family and food. They represent our sustenance and our soul. Food represents how we celebrate, how we come together, how we rejoice, how we mourn, and how we remain one." There were many parts in the books that were so very touching that they actually brought tears to my eyes.

This book was delicious and delightful! I highly recommend it.

A big thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy of THE RECIPE BOX.

We meet Alice, who’s in the midst of getting all the ingredients for an apple pie together as her husband, Leo, and their dog, Mac pick apples. Alice makes apple crisp pie for her husband. She also makes her own whipped cream. The following day, she worked in the orchard. She writes out the secret family apple crisp recipe on note cards she received from the church. Leo surprises her with a hand carved recipe box for all her recipes. Alice is concerned no one will want her recipes as everyone in her family are gone.

Years later, we meet Sam, a N.Y. pastry chef working for Chef Dimples, a reality TV star who is obsessed with fame and can’t cook. When he asks her to make something for his GMA appearance, she makes a peach-blueberry slam pie. Chef Dimples then says that the pie is ok so Sam then remembers her thirteenth birthday where her family gave her a party. One of the gifts she received from her grandmother Willo and mom, Deana was a receive box with their family receipts handwritten in a wood carved recipe box with a key that Sam, her mom and grandmother all have. After her memory, Chef Dimples demands that Sam make his blueberry pie. Sam then tells Chef Dimples off and quits
We now find Sam on her way home to Michigan as she leaves N.Y. and her roommates and especially Angelo, their fruit vendor who texts her on the plane as it lands.

I loved all the characters especially Sam, Willo and Angelo. This was my first book of Ms. Shipmans but certainly not my last

I really enjoyed this story, a multi-generational farm that has baked for those they love, passing down their recipes. Each generation has added in their own ways to grow the family orchard business. Sam the most current generation has always run from the farm. She goes back home, when her boss tries to make a fool of her, to lick her wounds.

Being with her family again, she begins to remember everything she loved about the farm, how cherished those recipes are, and how important the family traditions are to who she is.

Heart warming story, with recipes included.

Sam comes from a family who has owned an orchard business in Michigan for years. Rather than remain there working in the business, Sam moved to New York, attended culinary school, and secured a job as a pastry chef for well-known, Chef Dimples. Chef Dimples is a narcissist, who knows almost nothing about baking or the pastries he touts everywhere. However, he has fabricated a professional, “best pastry chef” aura around himself and is in demand by most major TV shows and people in the field. One morning, after the chef denigrates the slab pie which Sam made using a family recipe, Sam quits and returns home to Michigan to figure out what to do with herself and her life. Once again in Michigan, Sam experiences the joys of family, the support they provide and how her female relatives have worked with the men in their lives to build and support the family business. In particular, the family relies on recipes kept in a special recipe box. Every female family member has her own recipe box, filled with the recipes passed on throughout the years. The copies of these recipes are old, with years of memories connected to them as well as on them. In addition, while in Michigan, Sam finds a friendship she made with a delivery man while working at Chef Dimples, moving into new territory. Will Sam and her friend find their own happiness with each other in Michigan? Can Sam figure out where she is going at the same time?

The book was well written and flowed nicely, for the most part. However, I found some parts dragged for me. Some of the past reflections by Sam, her mother and/or her grandmother were well done, but some could have been related better, in my opinion. In addition, there was not enough action or angst for my taste and the relationship between Sam and her friend became secondary and not focal enough. The setting and descriptions of Michigan were very well done and definitely made me feel like I was there, enjoying a part of the country I know little about. It was also nice that the author included some recipes in the book, after these pastries had played an important role in that part of the tale. Finally, I wondered, as I read, whether the author should have made the male roles in this family business growth and success a bigger, as the men seemed to play a very small part in all of it, which I knew probably was not true. However, the female bonding, love and mutual support stressed throughout helped cement the story line. It may just have been me, but this one did not capture my interest as totally as her other books have. I have read most of Viola Shipman’s books. Thus, when I saw The Recipe Box listed as available to read and review on NetGalley, I immediately requested a copy. In conclusion, I found this is a good, though not great, book. It will appeal to those who have read and enjoyed Ms. Shipman’s other books or to a reader looking for a nice, feel-good story of family and what it means. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

Anyone who has watched a cooking-themed Hallmark movie or has loved How to Eat A Cupcake, The City-Baker's Guide to Country Living, or The Girl Who Chased the Moon, grab Shipman's latest: The Recipe Box. Spanning multiple generations, she shares the story of capable, idea-inspiring women who have been at the heart of making the family orchard succeed for decades. The story centers on Samantha Nelson, Sam, who left her family's Michigan orchard to study at a prestigious school for pastry chefs. Upon moving to the city, she's employed by a TV baker who everyone in the culinary industry knows is a fraud. But regardless, connections and friendships are made; when she walks out on that job, she returns to the orchard. While Sam's there, she's reminded of everything that makes her family of bakers and their orchard so special. It's a heartwarming read that will have you reaching for anything sweet and delicious that's nearby!

The Recipe Box, for me, is a book that falls into the category of "this is a really nice book, but not particularly memorable." The strengths here are the recipes, which seem special enough because of the stories of the family's history with them, but simple enough that most home bakers can manage them, and the way the author weaves together the family's history and stories to connect the past and present. This will be a solid book to recommend to those who are looking for heartwarming, inoffensive, family-based stories.

The Recipe Box is a book that will make you cry. The characters were well written and had depth. I did get annoyed with Sam and her choices. I felt that she acted like a teenager up until Angelo left her on the bridge. The recipes at the end of each chapter were an added bonus and had me itching to make them. Also, starting the chapters with the recipe that was going to be featured at the end was great. Overall, a great book that I would recommend to family and friends.

ceived an ARC copy of this wonderful book from Netgalley. Take time to enjoy this story. Viola Shipman wrote the best book yet! This is a story about the simple truth of loving your family, realizing your path in life and how wonderful a kitchen is when the smell of baking permeates the air. You will want to go on a road trip to Michigan to hunt for an Apple orchard with your family to try and find a family like Sams. Viola Shipman captures your attention, making the words on the page turn into smells of yummy treats baking. It will make your mouth water!

I really enjoyed this book. Viola Shipman is a new to me author and I was definitely impressed with this first book. There is a nice easy flow to the writing and the characters are interesting and well developed. I'll definitely be looking for more books from this author.

Samantha Mullins is a young woman who wants to spread her wings and experience life away from the family orchard in Michigan. So off to NY she goes to attend culinary school and work in a prestigious bakery. She's humiliated when she returns home after quitting her job in NY. Working in the orchard and baking with all the wise women in her family teaches her small life lessons she missed when she was younger. Now her views have changed about what is truly import in life. Has she learned this lesson in time to get the man of her dreams?

I definitely recommend this one.

I love the way this author takes something that is ordinary and makes a beautiful story out of it. In this case, it's an old recipe box that is filled with time honored recipes, recipes of foods that were made with love by those who are now gone.

The recipes, the love, and the stories that go along with them are handed down from generation to generation. The stories from the past stay alive by the people who are making and sharing the food. You can just feel the love that is captured on those cards and the wisdom that is passed down from one family member to the next.

Sam comes home to lick her wounds after she quits her job in New York. The last place she wants to be is back at the family orchard. She has her sights set on more than that. But being home is just what she needs as she learns all about the recipes, stories, and love that are contained in the family recipe boxes.

The Recipe Box is such an amazing and beautiful story. And the author shares some delicious recipes as well!

Thank you to Thomas Duane Books/St. Martin’s Press for the free review copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

This novel was sweet in more ways than one. I felt connected to Sam right away because I have experienced the sense of not knowing exactly what I should be doing with my life. I think it’s wonderful that an author took the time for the character to be so unsure. It’s easy to try to make things work perfectly for a character, but Sam felt real – which is what I loved about this book.

The entire family dynamic felt like I was spending time with my family. All the interactions and relationships were genuine. I also enjoyed the recipes in the book. I can’t wait to try some of them.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc.

I really liked this story, and I think it would make a wonderful Hallmark movie. I love how the story painted itself into living and breathing characters right in my mind - the scenes of NYC and Michigan were both breathtaking and unforgettable. I would love to go to the pie pantry, pick apples, eat apples, and chat and have fun with family and friends. Willo was probably my favorite character, and I also loved how the story flashed back to previous Mullins women - I enjoyed both the prologue and the epilogue, I thought they were written beautifully. You don't need to look further than this book if you want a novel full of heart, wisdom, and inspiration... and food! Yum... all those desserts sounded delicious. I love how Sam baked things using family recipes, how they meant something to her and how she learned to follow her heart. Don't read this book on an empty stomach! (:

A sweet book about relationships and finding your way in life. It was heart-warming to see the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. The yummy recipes are a wonderful bonus.

This was a lovely book full of both life and baking wisdom (the recipes included sound soooo delicious!). It’s the story of an orchard and the generations of women who grew up living, loving and baking there, both for their families and the public. The story centers around a young woman in that family who wrestles with the question of where she belongs in the world and where her heart would have her be. While it’s pretty obvious how this story will turn out, it’s the different viewpoints of these women through a 150-year span, that give this story its true heart and charm. Enjoyable, sentimental read to remind us all to appreciate where and who we come from. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for the ARC.

If you are a fan of heart-felt stories that will whisk you away on a virtual mini-vacation, The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman is one to read. This book is a beautifully written story that will have you longing for a trip to Michigan. It also explores the theme of self-discovery through the use of recipes and a multi-generational cast of characters.

Having never read a Viola Shipman novel before, I had no idea that I was going to be transported into the story so easily. The passages and descriptions of the Michigan countryside are both breathtaking and vivid. I really enjoyed learning not only the history of the region, but the climate, and the gorgeous land formations.

Sam is a character that is easily relatable. She is a recently graduated pastry chef that is trying to decide which path to choose in life. Shipman takes Sam on this journey of self-actualization through her family’s recipe box. The recipes are ones that have been handed down from generations of women in Sam’s family. Each chapter in The Recipe Box is based on a recipe and even contains the directions for how to make it. The well-loved recipes are created by Sam throughout the novel and the history of her family helps her to decide her future path. It is such an interesting concept for a novel.

This is a story that really focuses on women and the many women that have shaped the orchard that Sam’s family owns. There are flashbacks to Sam’s great-grandmother, her grandmother, and her mother, as they are in different stages of their lives. The recipe box is the constant in each of the women’s lives, as it helps each of them achieve their goals. I really enjoy when a novel has a big family theme that portrays so many different generations.

Viola Shipman’s The Recipe Box is a wonderful story that is written beautifully. The theme of self-discovery in the novel is portrayed in a very unique way through the use of recipes and a multi-general cast of characters. I am looking forward to extending my enjoyment of this book further by recreating some of those mouth-watering recipes.

I enjoyed every moment of this book. Viola (Wade) captured northern Michigan beautifully and I loved the addition of the recipes that accompanied each chapter. A lovely story of family, food, and finding your way home.

The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman is a very special book. So special that I would consider it a 5 star read (something I do rarely). The book highlights what is truly important in life; love and family. Viola Shipman has written a book that is universal in its message.

The main character, Sam was trying to find herself and how she fit in life. She comes home to her family orchid after losing a job. Her connections with her mother and grandmother are shared when they bake together and discuss life while baking. Stories unfold from the different recipes from the Recipe Box (full of family recipes from the past). Each recipe brings warmth and love and stories that help illuminate the family, love, life and the strength of that.

I loved the book. Viola Shipman’s book is one I wholeheartedly suggest as a read for everyone. Bakers will love the old family recipes that are shared. Readers will connect with the characters as they show how they love and laugh. The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman is a fantastic read.

4 stars to The Recipe Box, a tale of love for family and the food that connects it! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Confession: I’ve bought all of Viola Shipman’s books because I cannot resist the covers! I was thrilled to read an early copy of the author’s latest book. Viola Shipman is actually a pen name for a male author who chose to write under his beloved grandmother’s name as a tribute to her. You can feel the author’s devotion to his grandmother, and his entire family, in these words, even though this is fiction and not intended to be any type of memoir as far as I know.

Another lovely aspect of this book was the coastal Michigan setting. How quaint, cozy, and gorgeous. At the heart of this story is Sam, an aspiring fancy NYC sous chef, who has to move back home to Michigan as a “failure.” Her family owns an orchard and pie shop. Sam has some scars, and its through cooking alongside the women in her family that she begins to heal. I loved that each chapter featured a recipe from the family’s recipe box.

Overall, a pleasurable read about women healing each other through their love of food. And because I can’t resist the pun, it’s the perfect “palate cleanser” between heavier reads.

Thank you to Viola Shipman, Thomas Dunne/St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley, for the complimentary copy.

This is definitely a feel-good book! About the importance of family, history, love, doing what is right, and strong, talented women. Reading this made me want to go to Michigan and find this orchard, meet these women and have some pie! An absolutely delightful read, plus some recipes that sound fantastic. I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley.