There's something really uplifting and magical about Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies, specifically in the growth of Cecily and Kate's friendship and the recipes that bring them together. This was a lovely, heartwarming read.

This story manages to be endearing, entertaining and sweet without dipping into sappiness. Definitely a feel-good read in all the best ways.

Kate Parker is about to turn 40. She has an on-again, off-again relationship, a job she doesn't love, and she's living with her mother. Kate decides to volunteer at a local senior living home and meets the acerbic and opinionated 97 year old Cecily Finn.

The two form an odd and prickly friendship that proves more valuable to both than they at first realize.

It took me a while to warm to Kate, but once the book gets rolling I began to appreciate her. She and Cecily have a love for food in common, with all the associated nurturing and friendship aspects of cooking and eating together that entails.

Over the course of time, Kate persuades Cecily to share many of her life stories, and through a book that Cecily loans her, she begins to see some more attractive possibilities than the life she is living. Cecily manages to adjust Kate's expectations and perspective.

I particularly like books where female characters manage to save themselves and the resolution of the story doesn't depend on a male character or love interest for the HEA. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! The story flows effortlessly, the characters are interesting and charming. There are also a lot of important messages in the story in believing in yourself, finding your bliss, not settling in a mediocre life due to fear and standing up for yourself. I highly recommend it as a present for a young girl as it has some important points on how to lead your life and choosing the man you will marry. A really emotional book...in some points it even made me cry...loved both the characters of Cecily and Kate!

This book!! I was on the fence about snagging it when I saw it here but I am so glad I picked it up. Took me a little bit to get into it but I really enjoyed it!

Kate works in copy marketing for a larger grocer and is on the brink of moving in with her boyfriend, Nick, when they go on a holiday to France. Nick has a moment of panic and tells Kate he doesn't want her to move in... yet. Kate goes into a tailspin after 'The Wobble' as she calls it and is forced to move in with her mother. Feeling sorry for herself, she goes to volunteer at a retirement home for ladies of status where she meets Cecily Finn, a saucy, crabby woman of 97. The strike up a rocky relationship that changes Kate's Life.

This was such a lovely book about friendship, and a very annoying book about romance. I wanted to punch Kate for her waffling on about Nick, If I were friends with her, I would've really tried to be kind but wouldn't have wanted to hear it. I wanted so much more about her interactions with Cecily. Cecily was very much s0 the star of the book and the best character. I have a soft spot for curmudgeonly older characters and she nestled her way into my heart. I got a little more than a little dust in my eyes while reading this one, if you catch my drift. This was definitely an unexpectedly solid book after a slow faff about in the beginning.

What I loved most about this was the character of Cecily was based loosely on the authors grandmother, which I thought was very special. And interesting knowing that a good chunk of Cecily's backstory was indeed true!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I must start by saying that I love the cover to Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies. Even the title was something that caught my attention.

The story is about Kate and her struggles as she reaches her 40th birthday. Cecily Finn is a ninety-seven-and-a-half year old lady with hair as still and bright as a "firmly beaten egg white." Loved to hear her stories of love and travels. She is definitely a personality not to reckon with and one I grew to enjoy throughout the story.

Great novel with well-crafted characters that keeps you engrossed until the very end. Highly recommend!!

This book should be read by every woman of every age. The story of a 40 yr old who finds herself at a crossroads "waiting" for life to decide which way she'll go until she meets a woman that will teach her that if she keeps waiting, life will leave her behind. Volunteer work at a home for exceptional ladies of a certain age....oldies but goodies, I think....teaches Kate that life is lived in moments, waiting for big events will mean you lose the best of times. This book gave me the same emotional ride as The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Cecily would surely be one of Kate's people.

I loved Miss Cecily! Kate was just okay, but her character improved after meeting Cecily. I really liked the friendship that developed between Cecily and Kate, showing that friendship can bridge the ages. This was a charming book overall. It'd be interesting to see this one made into a movie.

Warning: Don't be surprised if you find yourself hungry while reading this!

I have enjoyed immensely the plot and loved the characters. This is my first book that I have read written by this author and for sure it won't be the last. I recommend the book to anyone who likes to read and relax with a good book at the end of the day.

Kate is nearing her 40th birthday and has instead of celebrating in the lead up to it, her boyfriend throws a curveball and she ends up moving in with her mum.

Depressed and lonely her Mum insists she gets out and does something for others. So she finds herself volunteering at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies.Here she meets Cecily Finn a 97 year old stubborn yet compelling woman. Who, along with a decades old recipe book, helps Kate out of her slump and teaches her a few lessons in the journey of their friendship.

This book was beautiful. Made even more so by the fact that Cecily is based on the authors grandmother. I laughed, wept and had some lightbulb moments while reading.

Such delightful read by Becky Zimmerman! The story centers around keep Parker who is madly in love with her boyfriend Nick, who happens to be a great cook, who just loves whipping up all of her favorite dishes.

Nick would love key to move in with him but first they decide to take a trip to France. And anything that could go wrong does. I adored the idea of Kate having a friendship with a 97 year old, Cecily, who has a fantastic backstory of her own. Will Kate and Nick find their way to Happily Ever After? You'll have to read to see! I totally recommend this wonderful, warm and charming book.

I would like to thank Vicki Zimmerman, Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.

Kate is almost forty when her relationship turns out to be anything but perfect, her job doesn’t fulfil her like it once might have done and she needs to move back in with her mother.

When Kate starts volunteering at an old ladies home she meets Cecily and the old lady and Kate begin an unlikely friendship which is soirée by an old recipe book.

I really liked the story about these two women and Kate learning to become more independent and free from the need to be defined by what people expect and think of her. It’s a book which inspires me to start cooking because of all the great food that is being prepared within the story.

I really appreciated the final note on how the author was inspired to write this story and how much of the book really happened to the people this story was inspired by.

What a great read!!! Miss. Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies is pure chicken soup for your soul packed into a book! I was looking for a lighthearted read that held my attention and this book did that and so much more! I found the characters incredibly charming and endearing—they all wormed their way into my heart! When I finished this novel I was truly sad to say goodbye! I have never read Vicky Zimmerman before, but I most definitely want to read more from her in the future!!! I think Miss. Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies would appeal to absolutely everyone- go check it out!!!!

Kate is about to turn 40 when her boyfriend kind of, sort of, maybe breaks up with her. As she navigates this strange relationship with him, she volunteers at the Lauderdale House For Exceptional Ladies. Here, she meets a 96-year-old no nonsense woman who will change the course of Kate's life.

I absolutely adore the ornery Miss Cecily! I had a difficult time connecting or caring about Kate's storyline, especially before she meets Cecily. But, once we meet the cantankerous Miss Cecily, I was hooked. I want a copy of her amusing cookbook!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Vicky Zimmerman for the copy of Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies in exchange for my honest review.

Kate is turning 40 and when her boyfriend, Nick, breaks up with her she desides to move back in with her mother. Kate is heartbroken and to take her mind of things, she decides to volunteer at a nursing home, the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies. That's where she meets Cecily. Cecily is a 96 year old woman who seems to criticize everything and everyone. Kate and Cecily soon begin to bond over their shared passion for food. They develop a unique and heartwarming friendship.

I loved Cecily's character. She has an interesting backstory and she tries to help Kate in finding her happiness. This is a wonderful story about friendship, heartbreak, finding happiness and, above all, the love for food.

3.5 stars

Loved this book!

Kate is having a tough time through the middle years of life with job, relationship and self esteem issues. Through a series of circumstances, she meets Cecily. Cecily is a feisty old lady who doesn’t hold back! I loved her.

Great themes in this book. Relationships, friendship, self worth, respect. The characters grew and matured, and learnt life lessons. I loved every minute of it. Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy.

Loved it! Filled with the authors appealing characterizations and a knowing eye for relationships....the story flows.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a beautiful story about a friendship between an almost 40 woman (Kate) and a woman nearing the end of her life (Cecily). Cecily has lived a very full life and tries to help Kate add to her somewhat stale life. The friendship, although rocky at times, helps both women to have better lives.

This book brought me so much job while reading! This book brings together the power of food and friendship during personal struggle.

When Kate gets her heart broken the last place she expected to be was volunteering in a retirement home teaching cooking classes, but here she is. Unruly, Cecily, critiques her every move. Still, she invited Kate for tea. The two take us through an adventure of old love and new friendships. The two women are able to bond and challenge each other to make some hard decisions.

I adored the characters and the message behind the book. Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and author Vicky Zimmerman for the copy of this book!

Such a warm, wonderful feel-good story that had me in foodie heaven! I don't always gravitate towards contemporary chick-lit fiction, but something about the cover design just drew me in, and I am so glad it did. While the story focus is on Kate as she navigates the employment and relationship curve-balls that life has thrown her, I found Cecily - with her crotchety attitude and razor-sharp wit - won me over like no character has ever done before. Life is for living and Cecile's stories of her past communicate this message beautifully. Kate and Cecily's budding friendship, crossing the generational divide, and all the wonderful food descriptions and recipes make up for the ho-hum parts of the story focused on Kate's relationship problems with Nick (a chick-lit aspect that I usually have no patience for at the best of times).

Overall, a charming story about making meaningful life choices and the power of friendship.

Sweet and heartwarming, this is an excellent purchase for most general fiction collections, particularly those where women's fiction is popular.