The Secret To Happiness by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the most charming contemporary Christian novel that I read mainly in one sitting. I paused only to sleep. It is the second book in the Cape Cod Creamery series and can be read as a stand-alone. However, I recommend reading the books in order, so that you see character progression and development, as well as maximum enjoyment.
Cape Cod and family are the place to go when life gets tough. Family and the community offer love and care. It is surprising to witness healing coming in the form of six year old cowboy Leo. His warm, sunny nature and his openness, help souls heal. One cannot help but smile when he is around.
The story, once more, centres around the ice cream parlour. Now it is winter and the tourists are gone, it has to adapt and change. Likewise, we need to be adaptable as we start new chapters in life.
We all need lives that have purpose. “She’d hit her goal… there’d always been a vague feeling of emptiness… Is this all there is?” We need to make sure that are lives are centred on what gives meaning. So much in life is just chasing the wind. We need to find our purpose. Knowing God makes our lives meaningful. “Do you talk to God?” God longs to hear from us. Prayer is simply conversations with God. We need to listen as well as talk.
Who is writing your story? Well-meaning family members try to project their wishes onto others – but their dreams are not our dreams. Our dreams are unique to us. “Stop letting other people tell our story… let God tell our story.” When God is in charge of our lives, we can rest secure in Him.
There is beauty and contentment to be found in nature. The novel explores happiness. Happiness comes from within. When we have an attitude of gratitude, we will learn that there is pleasure to be found in the small things in life – a cup of coffee, a sunrise, an ice cream.
Life can be scary. “God is with us in the scary places.” We do not walk our journey alone. God walks beside us. We need to learn that we can trust Him, and to find our rest in Him. “Peace comes with a deepening faith.” Know God, know peace despite our circumstances. No God, no peace.
All the characters are wonderfully drawn, warm and inviting. We see characters stepping up to help others as teenage rivalries are put aside.
We learn the importance of grieving. A character whose mother died in her childhood, has never had the opportunity to say goodbye – until now, as an adult in her late twenties. In contrast we see a child with a healthy view of heaven as he knows his mother is there.
I really enjoyed The Secret To Happiness. It consumed my heart and soul. We all need a Cape Cod to escape to. It is a place of love, community and nature. It is a place where hearts and lives heal.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

The Secret to Happiness is Suzanne Woods Fisher's second trip to the Cape Cod Creamery. This one features cousin/niece Callie Dixon in the starring role.

Callie Dixon is at the top of her game as head chef in a prominent hotel. It all comes crashing down around her ears when she literally poisons 200 people at a food safety conference. Ironic, right? Callie, who up to that point was known for being a stickler for safe food practices, left the sauce for the next day's meal unrefrigerated overnight. She is unsurprised when her boss calls her in and fires her on the spot. Taking the first job she can get, she is working at the Penn State Ice Cream School when who should walk in but her aunt, Marnie Dixon, the one person who has always supported her, always remembered her birthdays, always cheered her accomplishments. Inviting herself to spend the summer with her favorite aunt and her favorite cousin seems like the best idea she's had in years. Added bonus? It gets her away from the "scene of the crime", as it were, and away from her father's over-bearing prodding to "go after her next job."

Callie's imminent arrival is not news that excites her cousin, Dawn. Growing up, their fathers pitted them against one another - repeatedly - and Dawn always lost to the over-achieving Callie. She doesn't want her sticking her nose into anything at the Creamery, most of all HER kitchen. But, when Callie arrives looking less than put together, and shows no interest in anything outside the walls of Dawn's bedroom, Dawn is concerned. Looking for something that will get her cousin back on track, Dawn drags Callie to a class she spotted in the local paper. "The Secret to Happiness" is just what Dawn thinks Callie needs. Will the class solve Callie's issues, or will it send her even further off the rails?

Callie attends the class taught by Bruno Bianco, an author and psychologist, mostly because she knows Dawn will insist. As she begins taking some of the steps he advocates, she is surprised to find that, while her underlying issue hasn't gone away entirely, it affects her less and less. When she starts sharing morning sunrises on the beach with Bruno, his observations lead her to deeper self-knowledge, and she feels a growing closeness with the man.

Callie's recovery from depression is aided by 6-year-old Leo, the Cowboy - so named because of his ever present cowboy hat, boots, and holster. This little boy made the Creamery his second home early on (because he likes ice cream, and he's their best taste tester) and he adopts Callie as his friend before she thinks she is ready to be anyone's friend. Leo's observations bring joy to her days, and as he talks about his "dad" she finds herself secretly falling for a guy she's never met.

Suzanne Woods Fisher is always a MUST READ author for me, and books like The Secret to Happiness are the reason. She tugs emotions every way she can, and makes her readers care about her characters. I was excited to read about Callie and Dawn and Marnie and Kevin and Bruno and Lincoln and Leo because I'd met most of them in The Sweet Life, Book 1. Fisher delivers a sweet romance and gives further insight into characters they've likely met before. I can hardly wait for Book 3!

The Secret to Happiness by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a sweet romance about being at the end of your rope and finding a life you never imagined. I absolutely adore this author’s ice cream series. This book is particularly fun with a wedding and a long time rivalry between cousins. This book is so relatable on many levels. The setting is one of my favorite places in the world so I loved that too. This is the perfect vacation or beach read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I've really been enjoying Suzanne Woods Fisher's contemporary romances and it's nice to see her writing some books outside of the Amish genre. The Secret to Happiness is a sweet romance. I really enjoyed the characters and the setting. The faith and family themes were really strong. This book is the second in a series and they do need to be read in order to know what is going on. I can't wait to read the next!

This was so good! I think my first read outside the Amish genre that I think of Suzanne. Now I have to read the first one because number 3 is on the way. When Callie loses her high profile job for poisoning the entire Food Safety Conference. But that was how she ended up in a temporary minimum wage job for a few weeks. That is where she meets her aunt for the first time in awhile. Callie kind of bullies her way into visiting her aunt with a no end date.
After losing her job, she is devastated. She falls into a deep depression that she can’t pull herself out.
Her cousin is not happy sharing her tiny bedroom with Callie. I won’t giveaway anything else. Well worth reading
I received an e-form ARC from the publisher and NetGalley. This did not affect my honest review. I try to review every book I read.

The Secret To Happiness is the second book in the Cape Cod Creamery series written by Suzanne Woods Fisher. This book was just as good as the first one in the series, if not better. <b>TO ALL MY ICE CREAM LOVERS, HERE IS ANOTHER BOOK FOR Y'ALL</b>. The Secret To Happiness honestly broke my heart numerous times, it was extremely sad, but happy at the same time. Suzanne Woods Fisher has made me want to pack my bags and take a trip to Cape Cod with these beautiful and delicious books. I will say, even though this book talked a lot about ice cream, it didn't really make me crave ice cream as much as the first one did, this one made me more emotional than anything. From the gorgeous cover, to the writing style, to the lovely characters, I fell in love with this book instantly and had to read it in ONE SITTING. As someone who is sun burnt as a lobster right now, this book made me love summer even more, with the beautiful descriptions and sunrises on the Cape, to delicious ice cream flavors, what's not to love? If you are looking for a lovely summer read that will make you want to pack your bags, I recommend reading The Secret To Happiness RIGHT NOW!!!!!!

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND REVELL FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!

In The Secret To Happiness we meet, Callie Dixon. Callie is Dawn's cousin, and Marnie's niece. Callie was an instructor at an ice cream school in Pennsylvania when she makes a <b>HUGE</b> mistake and poisons almost all the guests with an ingredient that was left on the kitchen counter over night. Callie has never been the type of person who makes a huge mistake like this, so what caused it? Callie lost her mother at a very young age (I can't remember exactly what it was, but Callie believes she has the same thing her mom passed away from), which caused this huge mistake. Callie has now been fired from her job, when she sees Marnie at this event. Callie asks Marnie if she can come live with her for some time. Callie and Dawn have always been in competition with each other, because that was just the way their fathers raised them, but really Callie just wanted to be supper close with Dawn. Callie has escaped to her aunt's home, except it's not a house, it's an ice cream shop. Dawn and Callie share a bedroom, but all Callie does is sleep and stare at the ceiling day after day, Dawn thinks Callie's depressed.

Things start getting worse for Callie when Dawn drags her to a community class that meets every Saturday that teaches people about the secret of happiness (hint hint). Happiness is the last thing Callie wants right now, but the instructor, Bruno Bianco has a way of turning Callie's thoughts upside down. Despite Dawn and Callie's differences, I absolutely adored them getting to know each other better and become closer. Callie would just tiptoe downstairs in the middle of the night and make a new batch of muffins just so Dawn and Marnie would get their revenue, but no one knew it was Callie. Despite Callie being in a funk, she was so willing to help Dawn. I absolutely adored how Dawn was willing to help Callie be happy again, it was just so sweet to witness, it felt like I was right there watching everything unfold right in front of me. Bruno and Callie run into each other at the grocery store, when Bruno gives Callie his book to help her understand her feelings. It just destroyed my heart watching Callie going through the motions of wanting to do something, but her fears would stop her constantly. I absolutely loved the concept of this story, it was just so heart warming.

The Secret to Happiness
by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Revell
Pub Date 02 May 2023


I am reviewing a copy of The Secret to Happiness from Revell and Netgalley:


There's something magical about Cape Cod. You just might find happiness there


Callie Dixon had the world by the tail . . . until she lost it all. She escaped to her aunt's house on Cape Cod after being fired from her dream job for making a colossal mistake. Except that it is not a home, but rather an ice cream shop. Time isn't going to help, since Callie's bounce is gone. She's struggling to come to terms with why she made that mistake at work.




When Callie's cousin Dawn drags her to a class about the secret to happiness, things get worse. Callie doesn't want to think about happiness right now, but Bruno Bianco is relentless. Callie's thoughts are often turned upside down by him. As well as her feelings.



Bruno believes that hitting rock bottom is the best place to be. But if that's true, how is that going to help her find out what--or who--has been missing in her life?

I give The Secret to Happiness five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I loved the first book in this series so I'm not at all surprised that I loved this title as well. It's such a heart-warming easy read without unrelatable drama that seems to permeate so many easy-read fiction titles today. This series makes me want to find a small, coastal town and set up show right away!

I am a fan of Suzanne Woods Fisher's Amish romance books so when I saw that this book was written by her, I was a bit surprised but a whole lot intrigued! I can truthfully say that while my favorite genre of hers is the Amish romance, this book was a delight to read.







From Amazon:

Callie Dixon had the world by the tail . . . until it all slipped away. Fired from her dream job after making a colossal mistake, she's escaped to her aunt's home on Cape Cod for time to bounce back. Except it isn't a home, it's an ice cream shop. And time isn't going to help, because Callie's bounce has up and left. There's a reason she made that mistake at work, and she's struggling to come to terms with it.

Things go from bad to worse when Callie's cousin Dawn drags her to a community class about the secret to happiness. Happiness is the last thing Callie wants to think about right now, but instructor Bruno Bianco--a curiously gloomy fellow--is relentless. He has a way of turning Callie's thoughts upside down. Her feelings, too.

Bruno insists that hitting rock bottom is the very best place to be. But if that's true, how is it supposed to help her figure out what--or who--has been missing from her life all along?

My Take:

This book takes you through all the emotions, from tears of laughter and tears of crying. Life is such a mystery and not knowing how it is going to work out from day to day can be so stressful. The author does a wonderful with character development with lots of personality (including the quirks that everyone has! The storyline has great plot twists which meant that I had to read from beginning to end! Now for some gourmet ice cream!

One thing I might note: this is book 2 in a two-part series. Read part one first, as it helps with the plot in book 2. Also, the two main characters have known each other since infancy. That creates a relationship that has many twists and turns. It's the part I really loved (after the recipe development section) as it was real.

About the Author:






Suzanne Woods Fisher loves stories worth telling about people worth remembering. With over a million copies of her book sold worldwide, this bestselling, award-winning author of more than 30 books is always on the lookout for the unsung hero with an untold story.

Readers are invited to stop by Suzanne's website at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

What a beautiful, heartwarming story! I loved being back in the small cape cod town getting to know cousin Callie, cowboy Leo and author Bruno. This story also included continuing characters from the first book like Dawn, Marnie, Kevin and Lincoln.

This storyline was about friendship, family, love, second chances and faith. I also liked how alot of the book touched on the importance of being happy, at peace, being still; and what fear can do to our body, physically and emotionally. This book had lots of great tips about happiness and being thankful.

I loved reading more about the Main Street creamery and how Dawn and her mom Marnie (from the first book) were working together to transform the ice cream shop.

I hope as the series continues, that relationships and friendships of the main characters will also continue to grow.

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

Cape Cod Creamery is such a great series by Suzanne Woods Fisher. I loved The Secret to Happiness just as much as The Sweet Life, It pretty much picks up right where book 1 left off. So even though this is Callie's story, we still see a lot of Dawn and her mom and get to see their relationships progress as well. I think one thing that I really appreciate about this series is that it is all about family and being there for one another. Cowboy Leo is still a delight and I loved the little mystery of who he belongs to as well. Can't wait for book 3!!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 2 May 2023.

What a sweet novel! Pun intended. Also, I'm now going to have to make myself some lemon basil ice cream. If you haven't read the first book in the series, The Sweet Life, you must do that. Don't worry, I'll wait.

See, you needed that book. And they're both wonderful reads plus quick as well. Book one gives us the backstory for this book. Like who Callie is. And why her cousin Dawn might not be thrilled to see her. But more importantly, it gives you the story of Dawn and her mother and how they came to be the owners of the Creamery.

Okay, with that out of the way let's get moving on this one!

In this book, we have more of a focus on Callie. You're still going to get Marnie and Dawn and all the other wonderful characters you know and love, but Callie gets the front seat here.

Callie got her dream job. And then she lost it. And not only did she lose it but she's waiting to see if there is going to be a lawsuit filed against her. Wow right?!

When Callie is at ice cream school as part of the staff she sees her Aunt Marnie! It's a great opportunity to catch up and before she knows it Callie has invited herself down to stay with Marnie and Dawn. Marnie thinks it's going to be fine. She's always loved Callie. But when Dawn hears she is not thrilled at all!

Jump into the fun to find out if Dawn and Callie can truly become friends! See if Callie will ever cook again. And most importantly see if Dawn is going to get married this time!

Oh and catch up with everyone's favorite cowboy. . . . and his father!! Squeal. Yes, you finally figure out who he is!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

This book was textbook chick lit from the cover, to owning an ice cream shop, to the quirky characters. And you know what? I liked it. Callie Dixon thought she had all she wanted as a chef, until a food poisoning incident sends her on a tailspin. She escapes to visit her aunt and cousin, Dawn who run an small ice cream shop on Cape Cod. The story moves a bit slowly as Callie deals with her loss of purpose and Dawn drags her feet on planning her wedding. You get a happy ending. I didn’t realize until the end that it was the second book in a series. As I love books that revolve around restuarnats and food, I look forward to reading the first book.

This was cute with just enough substance to not be floof. I didn't like the religion pushing, but it was a good, easy read.

Cousins Dawn and Callie have entirely different perspectives of their lives and relationship. As kids, Callie always tagged along, trying to be Dawn’s best cousin. Dawn felt like Callie was always competing, and winning, and felt diminished. As adults, Callie’s career as an executive chef goes into a tailspin and Dawn resents Callie’s presence in hers and her mom’s home and ice cream shop. Callie attends a community class on The Secret of Happiness and learns to pay attention to things that bring joy; the more she recognized good things, the more she’ll think about and remember moments of joy.
As Callie reads the book written by the author/teacher, she finds peace, but the novel ends up resembling a textbook. Good thoughts about joy and happiness, but this reader felt like she was being lectured. I did take notes.
At first, I didn’t think I would like Callie, but that’s because I was learning about her from Dawn’s point of view. Callie was definitely my favorite cousin.

The Secret to Happiness is book two in the Cape Cod Creamery series. Callie has lost her prestigious head chef job because of a mistake that she attributes to a life-threatening medical problem. Feeling lost and alone, Callie invites herself to stay with her favorite relatives, Aunt Marnie and Cousin Dawn (from book one of the series) who try to help her get her life back on track. But college professor Bruno is the one who makes the biggest difference in Callie’s life.

This was a great story. The author does an amazing job with character development, giving us details of the main characters’ backgrounds at the perfect times. Callie and Bruno have a unique relationship which is extremely therapeutic for Callie. Marnie and Dawn both approach helping Callie in completely different ways based on their personalities, but it is Cowboy Leo that manages to draw Callie out of her depressed state. The story of Callie and Bruno is definitely the main plotline, but this book also continues the stories of Marnie and Dawn. I very much enjoy how the author weaves everyone’s distinct stories together to show the intricate nature of the extended family.

Suzanne Woods Fisher is one of my favorite authors. I have very much enjoyed every book I’ve read by her, and this book is no exception. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading Christian fiction. This is a great standalone story, but I also recommend reading book one in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Charming and fun, but not as fluffy as other “beach reads.” I wish I had read the 1st book of this series, but it wasn’t necessary for the plot. I liked the different POVs.

Susanne Woods Fisher's book, The Secret to Happiness is a sweet, clean story about family, loss, love, and forgiveness. While the characters and some of the language are just a tad cheesy, they work extremely well in this novel. The novel touches on a lot of family dynamics but do so in a way that engages the reader. The book was a little slow (and depressing) at the beginning but turned into a good story. (so stick with it!). It's not a completely feel good story, but a good story nonetheless and the plot is left open for a potential follow up. Fans of clean fiction will love this one! Thanks NetGalley!

At an ice cream workshop, Callie Dixon bumps into her adored Aunt. One bright spot since her life took an unexpected downturn. Her Aunt tells her that her cousin Dawn recently opened an ice cream shop in Cape Cod. Callie’s Aunt invites her to visit, she accepts. She is grateful for the opportunity to unwind from the stresses of her life, spend time with her cousin, and perhaps formulate a strategy for the future.

Her cousin Dawn encourages Callie to take a class about happiness taught by Bruno Bianco. It’s the last thing Callie wants to do. Dawn had a wedding to plan and needed her cousin to lighten up and look at life from another angle.

Leo, a young boy, wins Callie's (and my) heart. Leo takes his role of cowboy and ice cream tester seriously. He’s not shy and when asked he tells Callie the way he sees it. He wins Callie’s (and my) heart. Among the characters I liked these two the best.

Callie wants to assist her cousin Dawn, but she doesn't want to get in the way of their daily routine. Callie muses over these issues. What exactly is the key to happiness? Does it even exist? If so, where can we locate it? Callie Dixon was hoping to find a quick fix or a solution that would change everything when her cousin brought her to the Saturday morning class, The Secret to Happiness.

If you like stories with a natural spiritual thread and a few surprises, ice cream, muffins, family drama, and wedding planning along with Leo being the shop’s test taster and friend, you are going to love this book. It’s a wonderful beach read and a fun escape.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

I was very excited to read another installment of the Cape Cod Creamery and was even more intrigued when the story mainly revolved around Callie, Dawn’s cousin. To be able to hear both sides of how Callie and Dawn viewed each other gave a great insight into what I was going to start to read.

While reading this I couldn’t help but laugh or feel frustrated with Callie. The one part I did agree with was Callie needed gentle prodding to do things, even though she didn’t want to. I really liked the interaction between Callie and Leo and Bruno. Both of them brought out the best in Callie and it showed she was learning from both of them.

Sometimes tough love is what we need to have from our loved ones to get better. We might not like the way it happens, but we all grow stronger in the end.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Revell Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.