I must admit that this novel wasn't very interesting, but somewhat boring. That Katie and Marika weren't likable in the beginning isn't helping and their change isn't really believable. The second half is a bit better, but the end, although surprising, is a bit disappointing.

i truly felt immersed into the authors world for this book. like i could hear the sounds, feel the feels and smell the food lol.
at first i wasn't sure. then thought maybe i was being over sensitive in my thinking so tried to let that go as maybe its just an oversensitive time in our world.and its so hard in today's messy world to know people true motives. especially surrounding topics featured within this one. that makes a book like this quite brave actually.
two woman are trying to be heads of this kitchen. and whats that age old line "too many cooks" and these two gals certainly define that at the start. but there is also so much more to the book, story line and characters woven within it. we get to see what it means to be humans at all end of scales and spectrum. we get to see what its like to be kind, to be given kindness. we get to see how a world can be cruel but it can also ave pockets within it where there is goodness. and we have to make sure we make those parts shine, shout louder.
at first i was thinking all the wrong things about Kate. she was coming to this soup kitchen have fallen on hard times herself. yet didn't then seem to see any parallels towards the mission of said soup kitchen!
then there is Marika who has grown up in this borough, shes eating at these tables. shes been with these people and now works to help and give back. she's worked her way up and then in steps Kate. nah.
we also get other characters who pass through the book and kitchen and serving hatch.
im so glad i didn't let my uncertainty dampen my read. it was a great one.

Truly, I always want to support a debut author, especially a debut indie author, but this book was just…

The brown and black characters were described so stereotypically I physically winced reading this. Describing a black man as “looking crazy” because “his dreadlocks resemble snakes coiled around his head” is just insane. Marika’s mother was a horrible mother, but luckily there was a white woman with enough kindness in her heart to care about this little brown girl! The POC are just rude, nasty, and often instigate arguments that are only broken up by white people or police.

There is also a transgender woman, who is physically and emotionally abusive toward her boyfriend. I’m not saying trans people can’t be abusive, but the author was more concerned with reminding the reader she was trans, not that she was abusive. Every time the victim was described, he was described as “being with the trans woman”. It felt like the author was trying to give her book a diverse cast but didn’t realize how offensive she was coming across.

Apart from that, there were multiple times I was just bored. So much of the plot and character relationships was told, not shown.

I do think, however, the author did do a good job discussing the issues of food deserts and opioid addictions in youth.

I do wish A.K. Hill a successful career with this novel and any ones in the future.

An amazing book with such depth and detail. A very realistic look at supporting people who are less fortunate for whatever reason and examples of how to develop community.

The synopsis of the novel does not do it justice. Yes, it starts off with two women in conflict over the control of a soup kitchen, but it is so much more. The author has written a heart-warming and heart-wrenching story that weaves together wonderfully complex characters, a contrasting view of two cultures within a city, and themes of love, loss, grief, altruism, compassion, generosity…well almost the entire spectrum of human emotions and behaviors. It certainly provides an illuminated view of people who are served in soup kitchens and those who serve them.

Kate O’Leary, a gourmet chef, is scrambling to survive the chaos of losing her beloved restaurant in a fire. Desperate to cover her living expenses while she waits through a prolonged investigation and the release of insurance money, she accepts a “temporary” position as head cook at Mary and Martha’s Soup Kitchen. She begins her tenure with a stereotypical attitude of superiority, even elitism, with little appreciation for the mission exemplified by the Executive Director, staff, and volunteers. Frankly, despite understanding her grief over the shocking loss, she makes for an unsympathetic, even obnoxious, character.

In contrast to Kate’s background, Marika Johnson grew up in the neighborhood eating at the soup kitchen, graduated from the culinary program of the local community college, and now works as a cook with a dream of being promoted to Head Cook. She is outraged and resentful that Kate has been hired to take over reorganization of the kitchen and to improve the appearance, quality, and taste of the food on a shoestring budget.

While the two women serve as a focal point of the storyline, the novel is filled with a plethora of interesting characters and subplots, which enhance rather than detract from this engaging book.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I appreciate the author’s insights into a topic that is so relevant in our current milieu and applaud her courage to follow her inner guidance and perseverance in writing and self-publishing this book.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.