As a Jennifer Ryan fan, I was eager to read "The Kitchen Front." Her earlier book, "The Chilbury Ladies' Choir" reminded me very much of another historical fiction favorite, "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society." I was expecting that "The Kitchen Front" would be similar to these books. This latest novel is great, but it was a bit different.

"The Kitchen Front" follows the lives of four very different women: an orphan, a widowed mother, an unhappy society wife, and an unwed mother-to-be who is also a trained chef. The story takes place during World War II in a small village outside of London. War time rationing is in effect and finding ways to cook delicious food is a serious challenge. The four women come together because they are all competing to be on a BBC radio cooking show.

Throughout the competition, the friendships between the four women deepen as they help each other through different challenges. The story is really about their friendships and the power of community. While there are some love interests thrown in, "The Kitchen Front" reminded me most of some of the famous books about female friendships and food in the American South - Fannie Flagg's "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" or "Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood" by Rebecca Wells.

"The Kitchen Front" includes recipes for all for all of the recipes, although I can't say I wanted to try all of the ration-based foods! The book tells a good story set during an interesting period in time. Fans of Jennifer Ryan, historical fiction, or stories about strong female friendships will enjoy this read. It kept me engaged and blessedly helped me pass the time during this quarantine!

It is WWII and on the home front in England women are struggling with, among many other things, feeding their families under a system of strictly enforced food rationing. The Kitchen Front, a BBC radio program that focuses on how to make the most of this time of food shortages, needs to add a female host to add legitimacy and appeal and so it hosts a cooking competition. Its personnel select four competitors: Audrey, a widow who ekes out a living for her three sons and herself by baking for local homes and businesses, beekeeping, and foraging; her sister, Lady Gwendoline, who escapes her husband's hostility by presenting demonstrations for the Government agency tasked with promoting clever methods and ingredients; Nell, the protege of the well-known and much revered Mrs. Quince, who runs Lady Gwendoline's kitchen; and Zelda, the former chef at a London hotel who, having become unemployed when the hotel was destroyed, was sent to oversee the factory kitchen of the business owned by Lady Gwendoline's husband. Each woman struggles with her current situation and each woman desperately needs to win the contest. The setup, while interesting enough, is hardly unique and the story's resolution is fairly formulaic. Still, Ryan writes with flair and keeps the plot moving along; she depicts the struggles of the people who are left on the home front poignantly. The book is filled with interesting tidbits about life in those days and includes authentically frugal recipes , including one that features whale meat. The Kitchen Front will appeal to readers of The Chilbury Ladies Choir as well as others who are interested in easy-reading novels about the WWII home front in England.