Lovely feel good read. It was well written and flowed well. I enjoyed it very much. The plot was good and interesting. Hard to put down

When I found out there was a sequel to How To Bake A New Beginning I was thrilled because I loved everything about the first book. The second book follows on the sisters' stories as they continue their lives and strive to succeed in their chosen careers but can also be read as a stand alone. Reading this was like catching up with old friends especially as the story is told through the three viewpoints of Amanda, Sabrina and Louisa.

I loved the Italian setting but being a Manchester girl myself, I particularly adored the familiar references to my home city too - especially The Northern Quarter. The recipes at the start of each chapter seemed wonderful (I'm not much of a cook but I have a good imagination and when I read them, my mouth watered) and I loved how the author added little bits of humour or nostalgia to the 'method' section.

The heart of the story is family and there's a real warmth that comes through whenever any of the characters talk about or interact with their family which gives the book a really nice feel.

It's the perfect book for curling up with this summer,

Who doesn't want to know the ingredients of happiness? Sadly they are a little hard to fully identify! I really enjoyed this book. It was told in a lighthearted, warm, and continually engaging way by the author (of whom I have not read a novel before but will certainly do so again in the future on the basis of this novel!). Great characters, structure and comedic essence. Thank you!

Three sisters who will strive to make their dreams come true. They are brave with a positive view about the life that it’ll give us a lesson to face the obstacles we find in our path: if you dream it, you can get it.

It is also an Italian cookbook. With each chapter Lucy gives us one of the recipes inherited from her grandparents

The perfect reading to have relax this summer.

This is a wonderful, feel good, contemporary book. It has a wonderful moral to it and is incredibly well written

This book is about family, love, and food.

This story follows the lives of three sisters: Amanda, Sabrina, and Louisa. Amanda is chasing her dream of opening an Italian Café in Manchester, Sabrina is managing a popular band in the US, and Louisa is becoming a fashion designer in Italy. All three sisters have boyfriends, a wonderful family and lots of supportive people in their lives.

I loved that every chapter starts with a recipe. In typical Italian fashion, a lot of them are passed down from a grandparent by word of mouth with no exact measurements or specific instructions. It’s more by Quanto Basta (as much as you feel you need).

This book is a really cute summer read. I loved all the family dynamics but the real start of the show is food.

Before reading this book I was unaware that it’s the second book in a series. When I started reading this book I was confused because you’re thrown right into the story as if you already know all of these characters. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous book, How to Bake a New Beginning first.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher via Net Galley

This is the second book in a series and what a great book it is
This is a story about sisterly relationships. It’s a lovely book which is brilliantly written
Looking forward to reading more of this authors books

An interesting read, but it took a while for the characters to grow on me, meaning I enjoyed the second half much more than the first! I like that there are recipes at the start of each chapter but they become redundant and don’t add to the story when half of them either don’t have measurements or don’t have a method. I understand why they’re there but I think people would enjoying making them, and if measurements or methods are unknown they should maybe be given a passing comment rather than space at the start of every chapter. Overall an enjoyable read that kept me smiling.

We all know i love a delicious village inspired little cafe read, well - this was that and more, more because we follow the 3 sisters as they all set out on their own ventures in life.

Amanda who is opening her own cafe, Sabrina who is tackling the music industry and Louisa who is designing her own garments in Italy.



I have listened to the first book on audiobook and adored it, i think hearing the voices helped me to differentiate the characters because sometimes when there is a few MC i loose track of who is who.



What i did find in this one though is because they are all so well written with their own characteristics you can easy tell them apart but the bond between them is something that you feel.



I loved the delicious recipes and i so wanted to sample all of them, i wanted coffee, i wanted all the cakes and pastries and Italian dishes. I wanted to visit Italy, i wanted to meet with the band too.



I loved this because it ticked all the boxes for a book i enjoy, but gave it something else, like i said - i sometimes worry when their is more than one character to focus on but Lucy creates them in a way that you want to get to know everyone and all at once. This was heartfelt, it was sweet, it sprung tears to my eyes and made me bloody hungry.

This book is truly spectacular. Reading this I had a smile on my face from start to finish. The characters are so loveable. I am one of three sisters so I could totally relate to them. It was so good to see the close bond they had and how they were there for each other no matter what. The book is jam packed with delicious recipes - my mouth was watering. I could imagining tasting them all and the book has inspired me to try some of the recipes. One thing I loved about this book was that you could really feel the writers passion for Italy. This book does what it says in the title and makes you feel so happy. If you are looking for an easy to read, feel good book this summer then this is your book. You will just adore every page. Just beautiful!

In this book the lives of three sisters Amanda, Sabrina and Louisa all intertwine. I loved how they were a close knit family and all looked after one another. I did not like how the book ended so please tell me there will be another continuation of it.

I loved the recipes as I love to cook and the memory of the Grandfather. The description of the cafe was so lovely I wished I was there to see for myself.

The Ingredients for Happiness by Lucy Knott.
Published by @hqstories 😁

Firstly I was unaware that this book was a sequel and it certainly didn’t show.
😁

It stems around 3 sisters Amanda, Louisa and Sabrina. This book is about love, support, family,loyalty supporting each other with each other’s life goals as well as their own.
😁

The three sisters have recently changed their careers and with that in mind it takes you on a journey of each sister with their dreams and achievement.
😁

I absolutely loved the fact that each chapter starts with a recipe. You almost get 2 books for the price of one. 😁

This is a feel good book. If your feeling a little flat or need to get out of a reading slump then grab this book. It’s a great read. You cannot help but smile.
😁

Throughly enjoyed it.
😁

Thank you to @hqstories for gifting me this great book.

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Such a great read. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want to.

Well written.

I highly recommend.

This is the first book I’ve read by Lucy – I didn’t read the first in this series (I don’t know how that’s skipped me by though to be honest!) – but it’s a nice, easy read that you can enjoy without getting caught up in complicated plots and overlapping storylines, especially as you are following three sisters as your main characters.
Although I think you may benefit from having read the first as you will be fully invested in each character and understand their positions immediately, I don’t feel I lost anything and would say it’s easy to read as a standalone, you are fully caught up on each sister and what has happened previously. You meet each sister trying to forge their own path in their relationships and careers.
The Italian style, recipes, lifestyle really comes across throughout the book and what amazing sounding recipes! Honestly you will be drooling all the way through, really adds to the story too. You can imagine yourself alongside the characters.
This is a lovely book that explores hopes and dreams, shows the work you must put it to follow your heart and it demonstrates the importance of family, no matter where if they are near, far or just fondly remembered.
I did find that everything seemed very good to be true, nothing seemed to “go wrong” and I was always expecting something dramatic to happen, or twist. Maybe that’s just how my mind works. It is a perfect read especially for summer, something you can pick up and read pretty quickly. I think the writing style is lovely and very descriptive too.
I’d definitely recommend.

‘The Ingredients For Happiness’ was one of those books that screamed ‘read me’ at me. The title alone was sufficient to grab my interest. I read the synopsis and just knew that this particular book was just the kind of read I needed at the moment. I had been feeling a bit down in the dumps and in need of something to cheer me up. I couldn’t wait to dive straight in and read, which I subsequently did. I never did have any patience. I have just finished reading the book and my first thought is ‘wowzers what a read this is’. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Ingredients For Happiness’ but more about that in a bit.
I loved the three main characters of the book who are a group of three sisters. They first put an appearance during Lucy’s previous book called ‘How To Bake A New Beginning’. I haven’t read that book yet but I fully intend to in the not too distant future. Anyway back to the sisters. The three sisters are called Sabrina, Amanda and Louisa. They are not just sisters but very good friends too. This book sees all three sisters in steady relationships with ridiculously handsome sounding boyfriends. The sisters are also trying to realise their dreams. They have to balance their home lives, their love lives, their social lives and their work lives and that isn’t easy when one part of your life is demanding more attention than the others. I took to all three sisters from the start and by the time I got to the end of the book, I really did feel as though they had become some of my closest friends. All three young ladies are feisty, determined, strong, tenacious and kind hearted.
I soon got into this story and I honestly couldn’t put it down. The book wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I just had to keep reading to see if the sisters managed to achieve their life long dreams and discover how their lives developed. The book seemed to develop a hold over me and if I had put the book to one side, then I risked breaking that hold, which I didn’t want to do. This really was an enchanting read that had the perfect mixture of romance, drama and intrigue. I managed to binge read the book over the course of a couple of days. I seemed to reach the end of this delightful read a lot quicker than I had intended.
‘The Ingredients For Happiness’ is one seriously well written book that will grab your attention from the start and will carry you through a delightful story with equally delightful characters. The author writes so vividly and powerful, that I really did feel as though I war part of the story myself and that in effect I was the fourth sister. I love the way that Lucy has managed to mix the drama with the humour, which isn’t always an easy thing to do.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Ingredients For Happiness’ and I would definitely recommend this author to other readers. I can’t wait to read what Lucy comes up with next. Here’s hoping that we don’t have too long to wait. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Although this book is a sequel, I haven't read the first installment and this didn't ruin the story for me.  I do think you understand more about the characters and their starting points in the story if you read the first one though.  

If you are looking for a little escapism into a wonderful world of romance and sibling togetherness then this novel is for you. Centred around the recently changed careers and lives of sisters; Amanda, Louisa and Sabrina - the theme in this book is family, love and supporting others with their dreams as well as perusing your own.  It's a refreshing and lightly written novel where it's nice just to read about lovely things in the world.

The point of view is told from all three sisters' perspectives and we get an intimate insight into each of their lives and loves throughout the book.  As Italy and family play a huge role in this novel, there are numerous references to food - particularly in Amanda's story.  Scattered throughout the book are also lots of recipes for delicious tasting treats that made my mouth water every time I came across them. 

There is a slight drama but overall it's lovely to read a book that just effortlessly flows and oozes loveliness from each page.           

Highly recommended for a lazy beach or garden read and will especially appeal to the bakers/cooks out there.

"What's this? What's this? There's color everywhere, What's this? There's white things in the air, What's this? I can't believe my eyes, I must be dreaming..." No I'm not dreaming and either is Lucy. It is actually publication day for her second book 'The Ingredients for Happiness,' and I have the pleasure of being the first stop on her amazing blog tour! I know I've probably said it a million times since the release of her first book 'How to Bake a New Beginning,' but I am so incredibly proud of her. This is literally a dream come true!
Let me tell you something, reading your sister's books doesn't come without it's pressure. Being an avid bookworm I know what I like and what I look for in a book, so gearing up to read Lucy's both times has been a little nerve-racking to say the least. We're our own worst critics but also each others, so I will tell her if something doesn't seem right to me, trust me on that!

Luckily for me and Lucy I absolutely adore these books. Lucy's captured everything we hold dear to in life in stories that will live forever in print and that I find truly magical. The sisters, the town, the stories are all fictional but there is obviously a lot of inspiration that stems from real life; which makes me feel very content and happy reading them.

I was very eager to pick up where we left off with Amanda, Sabrina and Louisa. I was excited to see where life had taken them since the passing of their Grandpa and the decisions they had made at the end of 'How to Bake a New Beginning.' I wasn't disappointed...

I thoroughly enjoyed being swept up in the chaos of Amanda opening her own cafe and could picture it all in my head. Amanda's chapters left me teary quite a few times and being on a plane when reading the story I had to try and keep them at bay. It was very emotional though. I could feel just how much 'Torta per Tutti' meant to Amanda and how much love she was putting into it because of her Grandpa. I was also happy that Amanda and Dan were figuring things out and that even though his life as a rock-star made their relationship a bit tricky at times, they were very much in it together and in love.

I have to admit that I have a soft spot for Sabrina and Levi. Sabrina spoke to me the most with her fashion sense, organisational skills and sense of adventure. I like the fact that she went for her dreams in L.A, but that ultimately her heart wanted to be back home with her family. (Just a touch of real life for you.) Her job excites me and sounds so much fun. I could imagine her being this humble, modest person, staying true to herself while also managing the hottest band in the world. Something about that made me smile and is actually one of the things I love most about Lucy creating this band. They are incredibly talented, but also genuinely nice people who manage to stick up for what they believe in and don't cave to the pressure of celebrity. I like to think that there are genuine people like that out there in the real world of celebrity today. I also adore Levi in this book. We get to see more of his personality shine and learn more about his past and I loved him all the more for it. He's cheeky, fun and so incredibly sweet with Sabrina... swoon!!!!!

Last but certainly not least, I was so happy that Louisa stayed in Italy with her Nonna and Luca because it meant we got to go back to their wonderful town and dream of all the mouthwatering food and treats they were eating constantly. It made me long to be back in Italy again. I could picture Giulia's shop and Louisa's dressmaking, all of which sounded so beautiful. I was glad Louisa was fulfilling her dream and relishing being out of her comfort zone. I just wish I could see some of her designs in real life! Luca was still very much a dreamboat.

If you are looking for a story that has heart, laughs, emotion and love, oh and LOADS of incredible food, then 'The Ingredients for Happiness.' is the book for you this summer!

I didn’t think the previous book could be topped as a follow on, how wrong I was! Once again we are drawn into the lives of the three sisters and without giving too much away, let’s just say, dreams really do come true if you believe. The characters are so believable and likeable. The authors descriptions are spot on and there I will stop as I don’t want to spoil it for you all. Looking forward to book 3.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

A brilliant and entertaining follow up to How to bake a new beginning. Another feel good tale where we catch up with the lives of the three sisters, all about family and love. Another charming read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

A follow up to last year's How to Bake a New Beginning, The Ingredients for Happiness drop us right back in with Amanda, Sabrina, and Louisa.

If, like me, you loved Lucy's first book and were keen to find out what these sisters were up to, you're going to adore this next installment. But, also, if you haven't read it, I don't think that will hinder your enjoyment. Either way? Jump right in!

Side note: any book that opens with a recipe for Rum Baba has me hook, line and sinker. It's my usual order when I head to Brunetti's in Lygon St, Carlton, and the very first page had me itching to get in my car and head out for cake.

For me, food is about family, it's about providing love in the form of a meal, and about care - and this comes through in Lucy's writing. You can tell that she's passionate about her food, her love of it, and her unrelenting willingness to share it with everyone (even if loading Twitter makes us all hungry)

And this is where the story begins, with Amanda, who's taking her dreams by the proverbial horns and opening her own cafe. She's found the perfect locale and, after the disaster that was her previous role, she's motivated to make this work.

Thankfully, she's got a supportive family behind her in sisters Sabrina and Louisa. Sabrina has arrived back in LA and is showing the word that she's got what it takes to make it big in the music industry. San Francisco Beat are free agents, and she's a women with a plan.

As someone who grew up wanting so badly to be a musician (and who still owns a guitar that hasn't been touched in fifteen years), I loved reading about her journey through the industry and all the ups and downs that come with it. Wait, is that kind of like publishing? *taps chin*

Then there's Louisa, who's busy working in the fashion industry. She's been toiling away on her showcase pieces, though she's realised she won't be able to make the opening day of Amanda's restaurant. I mention this point specifically because it was so nice to see two sisters supporting each other, and not screaming the house down because the other had plans. *warm fuzzies please and thank you*

Of course, the path to happiness is never complete without a little side quest along the way, and these sisters certainly get their share. There's a cafe to get up and running, and all the problems that come with renovations (can totally relate), a band to wrangle, and a fashion world to conquer.

There's a great cast of secondary characters who give life to this book. But, above all, this is a book about believing in yourself - one of the most important things when following your dreams. Sweet, entertaining, and laugh-out-loud funny, you're going to love Lucy Knott's wit and charm.

Go buy it - now!