4 1/2 stars

Moving to a new school is hard enough, but moving during the middle of your junior year when all of the important school social events are happening is rougher. Fortunately Ellie met Hunter and soon they were dating and she found herself among the popular kids until the first day of senior year when Hunter dumps her and then immediately begins dating Brynn. This situation makes attending life skills class an emotional challenge, but Ellie can’t drop and then finds herself at the misfit table and comes to some realizations about judging people.

Karen Bischer’s The Secret Recipe for Moving On was a delightful YA read. I love the group of misfits and the fact that Ellie discovered she had far more in common with them and their quirks than she had with Hunter and Brynn. In fact, Ellie had to hide a lot of herself when she was with Hunter and his crowd, her desire to be a meteorologist and try new things, but could let her freak flag fly with the band of misfits. I should put quote marks around misfits because I thought they were anything but. They were very real and less judgy than the popular crowd.

Of course, there is always an impediment in all book romances and the one in this case comes from Ellie trying to live up to the expectations of the “popular” crowd and showing her own judginess when she really didn’t feel those things inside of herself. She learns something about herself and grows in the process.

The Secret Recipe for Moving On is a funny, sweet novel of a girl finding herself and more when circumstances make her take chances.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“I guess some life skills you don’t learn in home ec” (chapter 18).

The story opens up with Ellie feeling a little insecure in her relationship and with his friends. Cue the first day of school and she gets quite the slap in the face when her boyfriend, Hunter, breaks up with her to be with one of his long time friends. Suddenly Ellie doesn’t belong anywhere as she’s quick to learn her “friends” were more situational than true. To make things worse, she has to sit through home ec with Hunter and his new boo practically breaking the PDA meter. After realizing how torturous being in the same group with her ex and ex-friends would be, she quickly joins the “misfit” group and starts plotting revenge.

Cue the misfits: the sweetest, quirkiest group of boys you can find. Each of them have their own personality traits that keep them from the popular crowd, but Ellie quickly learns that they’re not quite as odd as first impressions hinted. As Ellie gets to know them, she learns about what it means to be a true friend, how to work together as a team, and who she is apart from the life she felt was taken from her.

While I did find Ellie’s character growth inspiring, Luke was probably my favorite character, even though, *groan,* he has a girlfriend already. Or maybe AJ? Honestly, the boys are all so wonderful, it’s hard to pick. I do feel like Luke was supposed to be intimidating because he has a couple tattoos and he’s into bike stunts, but he never really was for me. I wish Bischer could’ve built up that reputation better in the beginning so that, when Ellie learns about how goofy and sweet he is, it’s a much bigger deal.

Bischer writes such a sweet story about how preconceived assumptions about people don’t tell the whole story. The family Ellie becomes a part of are all flawed, real, and kind. With a team like that in anyone’s corner, there’s no telling what you can do. I’d definitely read this again just to hang out with the characters more.

Ellie Agresti is looking forward to her senior year. After having to change schools the previous year, she’d met Hunter, and they’d started dating. She’d spent her time with him and his friends, feeling safe from high school politics in this group. But when Hunter dumped her brutally right as senior year was starting, Ellie realized that she’d not taken the time to make other friends.

And then her guidance counselor refused to let her out of the popular Home Economics class that is basically Adulting 101, even though Hunter is also in the class. As is the girl he dumped Ellie for.

Ellie tries to make the best of it and joins another group, a “family” for the class. Each family will be assigned a situation where they have a family income and have to come up with a budget. Ellie and her group—Luke, A.J., and Isaiah—are a single mother with 2 kids and a job as a bus driver. They are disappointed that they’ll have to struggle to make ends meet, but all of them are have some real life experience with it.

But then Ellie finds out the best part of the class—it will all be a competition. All the tasks are points-based, and she has the chance to lead her team to beat Hunter and Brynn’s team, proving herself the better person.

As Ellie gets to know her fellow family members better, she realizes that she likes them. She works with them, encourages them, and stands up for them. And as she’s making new friends in class, she also volunteers to help with the student television news program. She wants to be a meteorologist and offers to help them with the weather segments, but they need someone to help with sports, and she soon finds that her features on different athletes wins her accolades and acceptance as herself, not just as Hunter’s girlfriend.

At a party, a game of soda pong turns into genuine feelings for Home Ec classmate Luke, and he seems to share the warm feelings for Ellie. But when she finds out that he lied to her, the way Hunter had lied to her, Ellie shuts down and refuses to listen to anything he has to say, even though Luke insists he didn’t lie. Will Ellie be able to get past her own hurt and hear what Luke has to say, or will she lose all the good things she’d been stirring up all semester?

The Secret Recipe for Moving On is a sweet, warm redemption story about growing out of situations where you no longer belong and finding the path that is truly yours. Author Karen Bischer has created a story with realistic (and beautifully snarky) characters, a believable situation, lots of laughs, a little heartbreak, a borrowed sweatshirt, a dead cell phone, and a bejeweled spatula.

When I read The Secret Recipe for Moving On, I found it to be exactly the book I was needing. I was tired and stressed out, maybe even burned out, and it offered me the escape, the grins, and the belief in humanity that I so badly needed. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone needing some time away from life’s problems, some snark, some warmth, some comfort, or the novel equivalent of a John Hughes movie to spend time with.

Egalleys for The Secret Recipe for Moving On were provided by Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group (Swoon Reads) through NetGalley, with many thanks.

The Secret Recipe for Moving On was a fun, fast-paced book. I think most people will find the story enjoyable and the characters well-written. The book also has a found family vibe which is really sweet. I really liked Ellie's relationship with her classroom family, especially with Luke. Ellie's definitely dramatic in this book, but having to be in a class with your ex and his new gf perfectly explains it. Overall, there were a lot of hilarious and heartwarming moments in this story. It wasn't my favorite book ever, but it wasn't bad either.

Thank you to SwoonReads and FierceReads for allowing me early access to this title! The Secret Recipe for Moving On by Karen Bischer! When Ellie gets dumped by Hunter it turns Home Ec upside down! I absolutely loved this book. Ellie teams up with the schools misfits who challenge who she is and what she knows about herself. She feels like she doesn’t fit in, but manages to make friends and have fun with her new crew. Ellie struggles with trust after all of Hunter’s lies but she finds herself falling for someone she never expected. This is a perfect teen high school drama! I definitely suggest picking this up if you like teen angst!

The Secret Recipe for Moving On was an adorable, feel good story! This book had so much heart and would be the perfect beach side read! The pages were filled with finding yourself, trusting others, learning to stumble and rise above it and so much more. If you love YA Romance and a group of misfits pulling together, then this is your book! Bischer is an author to watch and I'll definitely be looking forward to whatever books she releases in the future!

I stride into the pantry as the tears spill over. I can’t do this. No matter how much I think I’m over this....


Ellie had to change schools in the middle of her Junior year and she knew no one there. Thankfully Hunter took an interest in her and they started dating shortly after. The fact that his friends became hers seemed like an added bonus. The story started eight months into them dating annnnnnddd I was not a fan of Hunter or his catty friends. He showed his colors when Hunter dumped Ellie on the first day of school so he could date one of his friends. I felt so bad for Ellie! Especially since she was stuck for the whole next year watching them flirt, they all shared a life skills class together. And to top it all off, she got partnered with a group of misfits that had to work together as a "family". Ack.

“Hey,” A.J. mouths, wiggling his eyebrows at me. I quickly turn my attention back to Mrs. Sanchez.
What have I done? Oh god, what have I done?


I was actually of unsure of Ellie to begin with. I didn't exactly see eye to eye with her in regards to dating Hunter and tolerating his friends. When they broke up, I was happy yet I felt bad for her *covers face*. She had been in such a cloud of darkness with Hunter's group and I was ready to watch her shine! As the story unfolded I loved watching Ellie grow up and I liked her so much! Every time she did something on her own, that made her happy, I was beyond proud of her. Like how she was passionate about becoming a meteorologist, I love the path that led her down. She was beyond brave! But she was still dealing with having to see Hunter and Brynn every single day in class. And deal with her "family" too.

I think back to Luke telling me they’re not worth it last week, and now Isaiah. They don’t owe me anything and yet they’re seeing this from my point of view.
I give him a wobbly smile. “Thank you.”


In Ellie's group, there was A.J. who was beyond guarded and always acted like he was ready to fight and take on the world. Isaiah who seemed to be obsessed with horse racing. And Luke who was a tattooed stunt biker. They had kind of a rough start but you guys!! I LOVED watching them slowly come together as a team! They did not have an easy path. Every time they succeeded in class, it felt like a huge step. I laughed and smiled as they worked together. And the fact that it turned into sooo much more, my heart was extremely happy. Race day, house party and group texts were the best!

“Agresti,” Luke says, stepping closer and surprising me by tilting up my chin with his finger. “If you didn’t hit him, I would have.”
I look at Luke through the snowflakes. The way he’s staring at me right now is so intense, it makes my heart rate speed up and I have to catch my breath.


My favorite in her group was Luke Burke. He offered an olive branch in the beginning, so to speak, and I was captivated. Luke was sweet, kind, and I loved how thoughtful he could be. When they were together they made me smile. But he had a girlfriend right?! I don't want to say more other then I loved how their story ended and that I was completely enchanted by Luke. He was swoon worthy and anytime he was on the pages my heart was happy. So yes, I loved learning more about Luke. I loved that we got to see A.J. work towards something. And I also loved where Isaiah's interests led him. They were my favorite group of misfits ever and the fact that we got a love story in there was such a huge added bonus, yay!

They say if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
I’m glad I stayed.


The Secret Recipe for Moving On had so much heart and was a delightful romance! I loved how flawed and relatable Ellie, Luke, Isaiah and even A.J. were. And I enjoyed how much fun this story was. This book ended with a HFN and I would love for a novella or epilogue showing where all the characters ended up on their last day of school. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to them, I got attached to every single one! They are memorable, heartwarming and I definitely recommend you meeting them!

PS The spatula awwwwwwwwww!!!

I completely enjoyed this story and the characters. I felt for Ellie whenever she talked about how hard it was to transfer back to public school after the bullying she’d gone through in middle school, and for her after the breakup with Hunter. Hunter was honestly such a douche, as was Jared – and I don’t use that term lightly, but they were. Probably worse than that, if you ask me. But Ellie was a likable character and I loved how she found a way to bond with each of the members in her class group.

And speaking of them, the boys were all so lovable. Isaiah was such a sweetheart, and I could see that AJ could be underneath his tough exterior. Luke was, of course, easy to love with his humor and wit, and I hated to see him hurt when Ellie wasn’t sure if she could trust him or not (though her reasons were valid).

Overall, this book was adorable and I loved Ellie’s transformation of leaning on her boyfriend’s friends to finding herself and making her own when she had no one else. In addition to the obvious romance, the relationships between friends was just as enjoyable and made this book worth reading.

I adored this book! And I have a feeling I’ll be buying a physical copy of this one for my school library, but also for my personal bookshelves as I love the cover so much! But this story had so much fun and romance and emotion and really teen angst that it was perfect! There were a lot of interesting characters, and not only the ones that were Ellie’s friends. The villains or people causing problems in the story had really interesting characteristics and stood out just as much.

The romance was sweet and it made sense for a high school age relationship. I loved how Ellie even felt like at one point that what happened with her ex-boyfriend and his best friend sounded like something you’d normally be rooting for them in a romance, but this was her story and so it you weren’t rooting for them. It had good family scenes in the story as well. I really liked how the teacher was even realistic in how she dealt with a lot of the class problems and even complaints from students. She wasn’t the perfect storybook teacher, but she was real, and still a good teacher. There was a lot in this story I just really enjoyed, and I hope to share it with my high school students soon!

Senior year is off to a heartbreaking start after Ellie's boyfriend unexpectedly breaks up with her. Forced to continue taking home ec(onomics) with her ex and his new girlfriend, Ellie sets her eyes on beating the other teams by working with her group to ensure they get the most points in the class. As Ellie moves out of her comfort zone to pursue new things, readers will cheer her on as I did. She also forms relationships with individuals she may not have hung out with before. Ellie's growth from the beginning of the novel to the end is a mostly pleasant experience and highlights the theme that only sticking to what we know and the people we know might mean we are missing out on so many other wonderful things. So...maybe Ellie's breakup was a blessing in disguise? Overall, I enjoyed this high school slice-of-life novel about growing up and trying to find your bearings after a breakup. It's a cute, light read--something that can be quickly read in an afternoon.

I really loved this one! I liked Ellie or Mary Ellen and how she was coping and changing in her life. I felt like you get to see the real emotions of a teenager. She is broken-hearted, but she's also mad and trying to figure out where she fits in now. She was new to the school and just was accepted into her new boyfriend's circle of friends but then when he dumps her she isn't sure where she fits.
Ellie is also dealing with things at home, having moved, and her family has a lot less money than before. Her home-ec class is really eye opening for her and she really gets to connect with some new people. I loved the friendships as they formed between her Luke, Isiah, and AJ. I liked how they stood up for each other and really had each other's backs. They were a school "family" as they had to represent a family dynamic in the home-ec class. I think having to represent that home dynamic really helped them open up to each other about their own family and at home dynamics as they got to know each other better.
I liked how her relationship formed with Luke and how we see the differences between the relationship she had before with Hunter and how she is now feeling for Luke.
Luke is such a fun-loving character and a really sweet guy.
I also really liked how Ellie opens up and becomes more sure of herself as she does interviews for the school TV station and then moves on to take over the weather.
The only complaint I guess I have, is that the title for this book makes it seem like it is going to be more about recipes and food, but they were kind of a back burner to the whole thing. And maybe the utensil on the front should be a bejeweled spatula because that plays a role in the story.

Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

What a great book! I loved reading this one...so cute, so much fun, heartwarming, and funny. Highly recommend!

I think I heard about this a year before it was published? I remember looking it up on Goodreads and being devastated that it was being published in 2021 instead of 2020... and now the long wait is over! And this book did not disappoint. The premise instantly captured me, and the voice and hilarious shenanigans and characters kept me going through this book at breakneck speed.

When you've made a boy your whole life, what happens when he breaks up with you? This is one of the main questions this book asks. After Ellie moved, unwillingly, to a new neighborhood and school, she meets a cute boy who introduces Ellie to all of his friends, and she feels like she's found her place among the high school hierarchy. Until he breaks up with her. And suddenly she finds herself with no boyfriend, no friends in general, and basically no identity. I loved that this book wasn't just a romance; it was also about how Ellie goes about finding herself in all the messy breakup aftermath. I loved seeing her break out of her shell and her comfort zone as she finds her own people and her own motivation to do the things she loves.

The people she meets along the way are the best--mainly the boys she meets in her home ec class. I loved the competition aspect of this book. It was hilarious and fun, and I was cheering for the team the whole way through. Both A.J. and Isaiah had surprising depth that made them so lovable. And the love interest, Luke, is SO SWOONY. Oh my gosh. He was just so much fun, and I loved his interactions with Ellie and the other boys. I said earlier that I wasn't happy it wasn't JUST a romance, but this book is definitely a romance! And it's a fantastic one! It has so many swoony scenes, and an incredibly satisfying HEA.

Overall Thoughts

This is one of those books I know I'll be rereading over and over because of how heartwarming and funny it is. I loved it so, so much, and I'd definitely recommend it for fans of romcoms!

3.5 stars

Okay, admission here; I don’t usually read romance, because they usually end the same: the guy gets the girl, or girl gets the guy or some variations of guy gets guy, girl gets girl, trying to ensure I cover those who identify under something beyond CIS here but you get what I mean. On that note, I specifically promised some of my followers who ask me for suggestions that will really try to include at least one YA romance to read and you know what? I survived. Ok that’s not fair, I actually enjoyed it a bit too! I hear all my romance readers yelling “I told you so!” You’re right, you did. This is another light read but not 100% light. Bischer touches on heavier topics dealing with the high school gossip blog and the humiliation that happens in the school halls, young love that goes awry, students that are at the mercy of varying socioeconomic backgrounds, a girl who finds her voice and her way among the cutthroat world of high school, and a group of students thrown together who need to compete for points in home economics class. The story flows well and does a nice job of tying together the characters surrounding Ellie Agresti, and I was happy to see an independent girl who despite experiencing the social challenges of being in high school (ugh, who didn’t?!), she knows what she wants to become: a meteorologist. Not necessarily in front of the camera meteorologist but rather the research and get all nerdy in weather science kind. By the end of the book there’s at least one breakup, one hookup, the classy bully gets his own, team JAILE forms a quirky team in home ec, Ellie Agresti takes a stand, and gets the guy in the end. Don’t roll your eyes! It’s a romance! Of course she gets the guy.... but which guy???

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Swoon Reads for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This title will be out for sale on March 23, 2021.

I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did! The beginning really threw me off but then suddenly I was so invested and finished the book in two hours! I really grew attached to the characters and loved the growth Ellie had during the book even if she did frustrate me in a few parts! She was a flawed character that sort of had that unreliable narrator kind of feel which made this book really frustrating at times but I really grew to love her!

While this was definitely a cute romance, I absolutely adored the whole found family trope in this. Getting to know these new characters and how they went from this group of misfits to really caring for each other made my heart flutter! It was so cute and so well done!

Of course, the chemistry between Luke and Ellie was absolutely wonderful! Their growing friendship and the tension between them was off the charts and I LIVED for the banter and sly smiles and absolutely adorable winks!

The book was incredibly easy to read and I really just enjoyed the ride! The bullying and high school gossip page and drama were really intense and I think while it did help further the plot and the development of the characters, it also made me somewhat uncomfortable because I felt that there should have been more discussion about the misogyny and bullying that occurred throughout the book. However, the discussions that did take place were good. I just wish those had been fleshed out a little more (like with Ellie and her parents).

I know I already talked about Ellie and how she frustrated me but oh my goodness there were so many scenes where I just wanted her to sit down and breathe and realize she was overthinking everything and had to maybe re evaluate herself to see her internalized mysogyny and her rash thinking about things.

Overall though, I really enjoyed this fun and lighthearted book. The two main characters and their chemistry was so adorable and the friendship created was absolutely top tier!

Ellie Agresti is ready for an amazing senior year. That is until her boyfriend Hunter unceremoniously dumps her the first day. Now she’s forced to sit next to him in the life skills class that they signed up for together. When asked to split into groups to work together for the entirety of the year, Hunter’s group of friends shun her, forcing Ellie to join a group of “misfits”. There’s AJ, the loudmouth, class clown who is prone to frequent outbursts, Isaiah, the quiet loner who dreams of becoming a jockey, and Luke, the tattooed stunt biker who has a particular fondness for Ellie. The teams are pitted against each other for points which translate to grades. At first, Ellie thinks she and her team are doomed, but as their group starts to bond, they start to pull ahead in the points ranking. As Ellie starts to excel on her own, she becomes increasingly drawn to Luke. But is he the guy she thinks he is?

The Secret Recipe to Moving On is such a delightful read. It’s a total underdog story and tale of friendship. It is told in the first person from Ellie’s perspective. Ellie is a great character! She cares deeply about her friends and family. I loved Ellie’s entire group, referred to by the teacher as a “family.” Their dynamic is so supportive.

This is a very light story. There are not particularly heavy topics discussed and no major triggers that I come to mind. Overall it is a very PG book, suitable for younger viewers. I highly recommend The Secret Recipe for Moving On to fans of Morgan Matson or Jenny Han.

Thank you Xpresso Tours, Netgalley, and Swoon Reads for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

I am living for Karen Bischer's high school drama rom-com right now. The Secret Recipe for Moving on was delightful and made me want to see some sweet, sweet high school vengeance. Mary Ellen Agresti is a woman scored. Her high school boyfriend breaks up with her after she professes she is ready to have sex with him. He starts to date their mutual friend, Brynn, shortly after (emphasis on shortly). And she has to sit in the same home economics class with them for the whole year and watch their PDA and exhausting flirtations front and center.

Add a breakfast club-esque group of characters, a dash of the school's unofficial internet gossip column, sprinkle an in-class competition, and flambé a new crush who is off limits. Turn up the heat until conflict and pent-up feelings arise.

I really enjoyed this book and watching Ellie grow into herself. She loses the only "friends" she knows at school after the break-up. Having already been the new girl at school, she's basically back at square one again. At first, many of her actions are taken to spite her ex-boyfriend, which I completely understand, but soon she starts to come into her own, and enjoys doing these things that she would have never done before (like going to a high school football game or joining the school's TV station) because her ex's bias got in the way while they dated. Ellie breaks out of her shell and starts to become a name around the school.

The romance between Ellie and Luke is super sweet. The drama that sparks between them is something that could have been easily avoided, especially since Ellie is on the warpath of being this strong, outgoing character. I would have loved some of her growth to include communication, because I think her blossoming relationship with Luke would have been a dominating structure to the novel rather than the typical silent treatment/avoiding-the-elephant-in-the-room trope caused by a misunderstanding on the main character's part. Even Luke, who had ample amount of time to explain the situation, would rather storm away than help solve the problem. This is really the only gripe I have with the novel.

I love the rag-tag group of Ellie, Luke, A.J., and Isaiah and how friends come out of the woodwork in even home economics classes your senior year of high school. They all pump each other up, and is a complete 180 from the people Ellie was hanging around at the beginning of the novel. The drama is juicy and really grinds your gears in the best possible way where you are rooting for Ellie from the get-go and hoping for a huge slice of karma for Hunter and Brynn. The Secrete Recipe for Moving On is a ice cream sundae topped with hot fudge and all the toppings kind-of novel that wraps up sweetly and leaves you happy you picked it up in the first place.

This was adorable and something I would love to have available for students to read for fun in my culinary classes. Entertaining, sweet and fun. Exactly what I would want in a YA contemporary.

Oh my, what a delightful book! I had been in a reading rut for awhile and this book is just what I needed to get me out of it.
I loved Ellie as a main character. The author does a great job of describing Ellie very vividly and I felt very close to Ellie by the time I was done with the book. I also loved the relationship between the JAILE family members. Their relationship was so sweet and evolved well over the whole book.
I wish I worked in a middle or high school so I could buy this for my schools but I loved being able to get lost in this book! Highly recommend!

Ellie Agretsi is dumped by her boyfriend Hunter on the first day of school. And worse? Ellie catches him making out with his friend.

And worse yet, Ellie has to spend the entire year in a class with the two of them. When one classmate leaves, Ellie join another "family" in the cass full of delinquents. Her plan? Become the best family of the year.

This was such a sweet, found-family contemporary! I loved getting to know all the boys, and even though Ellie can be a bit obtuse at times, this was so sweet and cute! The romance was also really lovely, and I ended up loving this so much more than I expected! Also expect to be hungry because there's lots of food in this!!!

On the first day of her senior year, when Ellie Agresti is dumped by her boyfriend Hunter, Ellie feels that her year is ruined. On top of this new relationship development, Ellie is stuck taking the same life skills class as her ex and his new girlfriend, Brynn. In The Secret Recipe for Moving On, Ellie focuses on trying to beat Hunter’s team in their life skills class.

The story was fun, but unfortunately it wasn’t that memorable. The first chunk of the book is Ellie wallowing and being said about her breakup, which is understandable but felt overdone. I felt that the break-up wasn’t that big of a surprise at the point it happened. Otherwise, the characters were fun. I expected more cooking to happen because of the cover being a whisk covered in frosting, and was slightly underwhelmed that food wasn’t more of a central point.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.