Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gallery Books for my copy of The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove by Karen Hawkins in exchange for an honest review. It publishes August 15, 2023.
I've been a huge fan of this series since The Book Charmer came out, so obviously I was so excited when this book was announced! I just love the way this series is set up, and I love the magical realism. I will say, you could totally read each book on its own and you'll kind of understand what's up, however, if you have the chance to read these books in order, do it!
These books have such a great sense of place and world-building, you feel like you are coming home every time you pick up these books! This series has elements of a cozy mystery, without the murder.
As far as this book goes, it totally holds up! I found Ella's story and struggle to be very interesting, and although I don't necessarily relate, I still found I could understand her plight.
I also really enjoyed the changing POV's through this book, and getting more than one side to the story.\
Basically, just read these books!

3.5 stars.

I really love Dove Pond. This is the third book in the series, which follows the Dove sisters. Whenever the Dove family has seven daughters, magical things happen in their small town, and each daughter has a different special power. But it’s more magical realism than fantasy - Ella Dove’s skill is in her baking, and when other people eat her desserts, they experience happy but long-forgotten memories.
Dove Pond has a cast of characters that’s fun-loving and businesses that I’d love to frequent myself.

But this one missed the mark for me in terms of Ella’s personality. She bothered me so much, because she convinced herself she was super happy with her life of fling-relationships and moving whenever she felt restless (aka when things got too hard). She does have great people in her life that help her recognize that’s what she’s doing, but it really took until the very end of the book for her to have a breakthrough, and it seemed like it happened immediately, which I felt was unrealistic. Angela bothered me too, because she was self-serving and kept secrets when she shouldn’t have.

Gray was the only likable main character for me, when the rest of his family proved to be the worst in how they constantly treated Ella. I think it’s clear who the next book will be about, but I hope she is more likable. I love Dove Pond though, and that’s what keeps me coming back.

Once again, we find ourselves back in Dove Pond, with the 5th Dove daughter Ella.

Ella has a gift for baking and has become successful in her own right. She left as soon as she was old enough, going where the wind blows, never really staying in one place for a long time. Only now she has dreams that haunt her and she knows she needs to go back to Dove Pond. Years earlier, a mentor, Angela, accused Ella of stealing their families book recipe book, The Book of Cakes. Hoping they reconciliation will stop these nightmares from happening.

Only Angela needs to make amends with her daughter, Jules. Jules has been at odds with her mother since her parents divorces, when she was a child. But everything becomes mucked up as they all converge in Dove Pond.

Gray, Jules’ son, is shocked to see Ella back in town. She was his first love, first heartbreak, and is determined not to get involved again, she will leave once again.

But fate and her dreams have different plans. As the weeks turn into a couple of months, Ella slowly lowers her walls. Would it be so bad to let love in, to feel safe and secure? And will Gray finally convince Ella to put down roots? Will they all forgive the past that has separated them all, and learn to forge forward with renewed relationships?

I absolutely love the way Karen Hawkins writes, the touch of magic she places here and there as she crafts her story. You should definitely pick this book up now, you won’t be disappointed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the chance to read and review this book.

I am enjoying this series. I love the idea that 7 sisters are all gifted with some mystical ability. I also love that it doesn't seem to faze the townspeople. Some of the main characters in this one were so aloof that it is hard to feel like we know them, Ella included. But even so, she seemed pretty down to earth despite her celebrity. I mean she could have gone off when she was publicly wronged but she was forgiving.
I really liked seeing family ties being reestablished over the course of the story.
While this isn't my fav of the series, I still enjoyed reading it. And it made me hungry for baked goods. I would love to read about the rest of the sisters as well.

Sex: references to
Language: yes
Violence: no
*I received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

A fun romance with a twist, this was light summertime reading, perfect for the beach or just relaxing an afternoon away. Ella Dove and the cast of characters are really likeable, most especially Angela and Aunt Jo. Angela like Ella Dove until she broke her grandson Gray's heart. She becomes determined that Ella will do her bidding as penance. Aunt Jo just wants Ella to be happy and to settle down. Ella Dove's menagerie comes to town and the town of Dove Pond will never be the same again. The added bonus are the delicious sounding cake recipes in the back of the book!

The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove is a truly delightful engaging story, full of romance, family, friends and small-town living. Toss in a bit of magic on the side and things start to sizzle! The story is great, the characters are delightful, well-rounded, and the plot was excellent!

Last but definitely not least was Ms. Hawkin's wonderful descriptions of the bakery goods made by Ms. Dove and other ladies of the town throughout the story. The author's description of these baking delights made my mouth water! I almost made a bakery run but as I couldn't stop reading this book, I made do with a good cup of coffee instead. I highly recommend this book and series ~ It's a delight to read!

5 STARS!

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are my own. Thanks to Ms. Hawkins, Gallery Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Update for Gallery Books and Netgalley - Please note that as of today's date (8.8.23) Amazon was not allowing any written reviews to be completed on their site for this book. I will keep checking Amazon to see when they will allow reviews for this book and will happily post my written review at that time.

Magical small town romance story with yummy baking going on. Throw in some mystery and you get a very entertaining read.
Quirky characters help make the story charming and enjoyable.
I enjoyed the addition of recipes at the end of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

*This book was received as an Advanced Reviewer's Copy from NetGalley.

I've enjoyed the other books in the Dove Pond series. Set in the mountains of NC near Asheville, they evoke small-town Appalachian charm. The series itself focuses on seven sisters, all with certain abilities that their family has, although the rest of the town has their own magical elements for sure. And because this is magical realism, it's not really thought of as odd, just a part of what life is.

This one sees the return of Ella, who is in town to try to solve some of the nightmares she's been having. Nightmares that end with her covered in frosting. A famous baker in her own right, there's some bad blood between her and the family members of an ex-boyfriend. She needs to set it right, or so her dreams are leading her to believe, and coming back to Dove Pond is the only way she knows how to do it.

I honestly didn't really connect with Ella as much as some of the other characters, which is a shame because I actually really enjoyed her ability with baked goods. So much so that I wish there would have been more of it written into the story. It felt sparsely done in comparison to the drama. Her sisters took the backseat on this one (and quite honestly, aside from the family lore not being present, you probably don't need to read these in order). Her love interest was also slightly lackluster.

But, all that being said, the book is still charming. Still full of magical realism elements that I enjoy. Still has recipes at the back for you to try something new. So all in all, not a bad book if you're looking for some comfort. Just maybe not my favorite of the series so far.

Review by M. Reynard 2023

I love this series. It has the romance with a bit of magic. Ella doesn't stay in one place or with one person for very long. When she goes back to Dove Pond, she didn't expect to see Gray. He has loved her since they were in high school, and she has already left him twice. Will he ever learn? He just can't seem to stay away from Ella. His mom and brother try their best to keep them apart, but he just can't help it. A couple of years before, Gray's mom, Jules, accused Ella of stealing their family recipe book. Jules can hold a grudge like no one else and when Ella shows up in town, she does her best to keep Ella away. Gray's grandmother, Angela, has just lost her husband and is looking to reconcile with Jules. Again, she is hard woman and doesn't easily let go of things. Jules still blames her mother for her parent's divorce. How can Ella convince Jules that she did not take the book? Gray really wants Ella to stay this time, but he knows that probably won't happen. All of a sudden, all the secrets come out. Who will be left standing?

A baker, frosting, a stolen cookbook and reconnections are the name of the game in The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove

Ella Dove, a well-known baker has returned to Dove Pond after a reoccurring dream and the sudden appearances of frosting on her. Yes, yes, there is some magic in this book! Ella and her sister all have unique magic within them. Each sister has her own unique gift. Ella has always gone here and there but has come back to Dove Pond, to seek advice, reconcile, and reconnect. Years ago, her mentor, Angela Stewart Harrington, accused Ella of stealing a beloved family cookbook, Book of Cakes, that has been handed down for generations.

Angela has also come back to town to reconnect with her daughters, Jules, who has been distant since Angela divorced her father. Jules also happens to be the mother of Gray, who Ella once dated. It is a tangled web indeed that these women did weave.

Coming home can mean many things to individuals. It can be scary after being gone for so long, it can be a wonderful time to reconned with family, friends, and to feel your roots. Both Ella and Angela are hoping to reconnect, but can they rebuild their relationship that was damaged by the accusation of theft?

This book was a joy to read. I enjoyed the little bits of magic, the sense of family, love, community, romance, and reconnection. The characters are likeable, quirky, and fun. At the core, this book is about relationships, and I was cheering for all the relationships in this book. I enjoyed the journey that many of the characters went on in this book.


Charming, heartwarming, well written and a delight to read!

I really like this series. I loved the characters and Angela sneaking around for sweets was pretty funny. It’s a nice romance with a bit of a mystery. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Ella Dove knows a lot about running, away from relationships, that is. She's never lived in one spot for long and keeps her dating casual, lest she need to feel. You can't get hurt if you don't let yourself care too much.

I liked Gray but was sad that he'd been twice burned by Ella. His patience was admirable.

I spent a good deal of this book hungry, and Angela's constant snacking did not help in that regard. She's a character and a half. This series feels so comfortable and welcoming that each new book feels like homecoming.

While I couldn't identify with Ella's social media status and fame, I could see where she came from in other aspects of her life. She was a very tough nut to crack. This was such a charming read.

Thank you, Gallery Books, for the advanced copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for graciously comping a digital ARC of this book!

The Dove sisters are back in this latest installment of the delightful Dove Pond series!
The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove centers around the Dove sister who left Dove Pond behind to find success outside the confines of small-town life. Now a social media famous baker, Ella has sold her Paris bakery and returned to Dove Pond to resolve the mystery of a heart-pounding recurring dream that results in mysterious frosting swirls appearing on her skin. A rolling stone, Ella intends to stay in Dove Pond only long enough to stop the nightmares (and frosting) from appearing. But fate has other plans for Ella and her rambling ways!

I love that, in all of Karen Hawkins's books in the Dove Pond series, the characters have learned something about themselves and grown. This is no exception here when Ella faces the past and the damage she walked away from. While I have thoroughly enjoyed the Dove Pond series, this book didn't grab me like the others. I couldn't relate as well to Ella., as she seems less down-to-earth than the other sisters. I understand that the author created this character to be the antithesis of the small town girl, but her initial aloofness and detachment from Dove Pond and the people in it, are a bit too much.
I found Angela and Jules largely unlikeable. While the author did try to solicit the reader's sympathy for these characters at times, through Angela's grief over the loss of her husband and Jules's loneliness, it wasn't enough to make them totally likeable.
That said, it's still a light, fun read. The minor characters, unique shops, and small-town charm make Dove Pond a place readers of this series look forward to visiting. Although this was my least favorite in the series, it was a gem amongst many other summer releases that fell flat this year.

This book, like the others in the Dove Pond series, is a fun read sprinkled with magical realism and life lessons. I like the quirky small-town southern characters that keep popping up throughout the series. So, while each book is a stand-alone novel, they are best read in order for context & character development.

5 August 2023

3.5/5⭐️

Book Three of the magical family series, this book features Ella, a baker who infuses her sweet creations with the ability to recreate happy memories for those partaking. Ella, a wanderer at heart, returns to Dove Pond to try and reconcile with the Harrington family, former friends who accused her of stealing their revered/historical family recipe book. As she tries to convince them of her innocence, she also faces her childhood friend and former fling, Gray Harrington. While both the Dove and Harrington families must face and settle grudges and frustrations, will those resolutions include a second chance for Ella and Gray?

I’ll be honest here. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with this series, and I’m not sure why. Ella’s character, while she grew, developed and ultimately faced her trust issues, was not endearing to me, and I especially disliked how she treated men. Not lacking in self-esteem, her efforts to keep “flings” at bay just left a bad taste for me personally. I did enjoy Gray and cheered for his plan to win her back, but in the end, even as she evolved and questioned her need to always keep moving, I just didn’t get the feel of authenticity that I was hoping for. I also felt that the drama around the missing book was a bit on the ridiculous side.

Hawkins is a good writer, and I’ve really enjoyed her historical romances, but I’m not sure (at least for me) that she translates as well for contemporaries.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing the early arc of The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

This book is a part of a series at Dove Pond, but it can be read on its own.
I enjoyed the magical realism and the delicious baked goods. I liked getting some background on the characters and the town and also seeing where they all connected.
I enjoyed the themes of love and forgiveness.
This is a sweet and fun book.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove is a delicious book of family drama and secrets interspersed with yummy desserts and unrequited love. Unfounded accusations and long-held grudges are the basis for the antics of the characters which create a comical yet believable story. I loved the novel and the scrumptious recipes that follow.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy and to Simon Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

I love this Dove Pond series of magical realism. In the earlier books, we had heard of Ella Dove, but this is the first we really got to know her. She returned from Paris to Dove Pond to deal with one tiny little issue: recurring dreams that always are followed by magically appearing strawberry frosting. From the dreams, she knows she needs to set things right with Angela Stewart Harrington to make the frosting go away.

The book is told from three perspectives: Ella, Angela, and Angela's grandson, Gray (Ella's former fling). I love the multiple perspectives and all of the family drama. This book includes everything I love about the series with small towns, amazing baked goods, romance, and of course, a touch of magic. I would have loved seeing even a bit more about Ella's special brand of Dove sister magic. But it was great to revisit her sisters and get a sneak peak of a possible next book.

In the audiobook format, I really liked both female narrators (Amanda Ronconi and Jackie Sanders), but I was not not as impressed by the male narrator (Kevin R. Free). His voice didn't make me switch over to the ebook, but it wasn't as enjoyable as the performances of the other two.

4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for giving me the opportunity to review a new novel about another Dove sister.

Love love love love this series about the Dove sisters. There is an element of magical realism in this novel. the story is about forgiveness and second chances.

In THE SECRET RECIPE OF ELLA DOVE by Karen Hawkins, Ella Dove is a middle child who once tried to run away from home as a child after her father died. Ella starts having strange dreams, waking up with strawberry frosting on her skin. The frosting appears on her skin without warning any time during the day too. Years ago, she was accused of stealing a precious family recipe book from a friend. Despite her protests that she never took the book, no one believes her. Just before this happened, she was in a romantic relationship with a grandson of her friend. Ella's friend Angela also has a dilemma. Angela is trying to make amends with her daughter, Jules, who never forgave her for divorcing Jules' father.

Read this book in one sitting. Thw eriting grabbed my attention. I loved the characters in this story.

Highly recommended for fans of Hallmark romance movies on the Hallmark channel.

Love this series! Happy to see the storyline continue in this series
. The characters seem so real and you easily get caught up in the story.

This is the third novel in the Dove Pond series. The magical realism series features the seven Dove sisters, each of whom has a special, highly unusual ability.
The third novel focuses on Ella Dove. Ella loves to bake and has an instinct for the flavors that need to be combined in each creation. In addition, anything Ella bakes is guaranteed to trigger memories for you, leaving you lost in the past for a bit.
Ella comes home to Dove Pond from Paris to handle some unfinished business. She's been having the same dream each night that ends in front of the Stewart house - home of her former close friend and family of an ex. Every morning, Ella awakes with a splotch of pink frosting somewhere on her body. She has GOT to do what needs doing, because she can't keep walking around with pink frosting on random body parts. She thinks she knows what her mission is, but she might be a little misguided.
I have enjoyed each book in the series so far. I love the mix of getting to know new characters but still being familiar with the previously introduced characters. The writing is funny and the magical aspects are just enough; not anything over the top crazy. I'm absolutely invested in the Dove sisters and can't wait to read the next one!