What do you think?
Rate this book
The Secret Ingredient of Wishes
26-year-old Rachel Monroe has spent her whole life trying to keep a very unusual secret: she can make wishes come true. And sometimes the consequences are disastrous. So when Rachel accidentally grants an outlandish wish for the first time in years, she decides it’s time to leave her hometown—and her past—behind for good.
Rachel isn’t on the road long before she runs out of gas in a town that’s not on her map: Nowhere, North Carolina—also known as the town of “Lost and Found.” In Nowhere, Rachel is taken in by a spit-fire old woman, Catch, who possesses a strange gift of her own: she can bind secrets by baking them into pies. Rachel also meets Catch’s neighbor, Ashe, a Southern gentleman with a complicated past, who makes her want to believe in happily-ever-after for the first time in her life.
As she settles into the small town, Rachel hopes her own secrets will stay hidden, but wishes start piling up everywhere Rachel goes. When the consequences threaten to ruin everything she’s begun to build in Nowhere, Rachel must come to terms with who she is and what she can do, or risk losing the people she’s starting to love—and her chance at happiness—all over again.
Rachel isn’t on the road long before she runs out of gas in a town that’s not on her map: Nowhere, North Carolina—also known as the town of “Lost and Found.” In Nowhere, Rachel is taken in by a spit-fire old woman, Catch, who possesses a strange gift of her own: she can bind secrets by baking them into pies. Rachel also meets Catch’s neighbor, Ashe, a Southern gentleman with a complicated past, who makes her want to believe in happily-ever-after for the first time in her life.
As she settles into the small town, Rachel hopes her own secrets will stay hidden, but wishes start piling up everywhere Rachel goes. When the consequences threaten to ruin everything she’s begun to build in Nowhere, Rachel must come to terms with who she is and what she can do, or risk losing the people she’s starting to love—and her chance at happiness—all over again.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 6, 2016
About the author
Susan Bishop Crispell
6 books319 followersSusan Bishop Crispell earned a BFA in creative writing from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Born and raised in the mountains of Tennessee, she now lives twenty minutes from the beach in North Carolina with her husband and their Scottish-named cats. She is the author of women's fiction novels The Secret Ingredient of Wishes (2016) and Dreaming in Chocolate (2018), and young adult novels The Holloway Girls (2022), and The Broken Hearts Club (2023). As you might expect, she is always on the lookout for hints of magic in the real world.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 423 reviews
December 14, 2018
Magical, Charming, heartwarming and oozing with sweetness!
Rachel Monroe has a secret - she can grant wishes. Sounds wonderful, right? But to her it is anything but. Being able to grant wishes is a HUGE responsibility especially if things go wrong. Just because she can grant wishes, doesn't mean she can control them, and she vows to never grant a wish again. But things change, as things often do, when she accidentally grants his best friend's daughter's birthday wish. Fearing that things could get worse, she leaves town and ends up in Nowhere, North Carolina where she meets another magical woman named, Catch who can bind secrets by baking them into pies. She also meets Ashe, Catch's neighbor, who quickly befriends her and works his way into her life. Soon wishes and secrets find her, and Rachel must decide what to do, what she wants, and how to proceed. She wants to make Nowhere her home, but will her past wish catch up with her?
Sure, you will have to suspends some disbelief while reading, but who cares? That is what makes this book so enjoyable. One shouldn't take magic or magical books too seriously, IMO. Plus, I dare you to read this and not want a piece of pie afterwards. My only complaint is that the ending felt a little rushed to me. I wanted just a tad more or at least an epilogue to see what all the characters are doing in the future. Plus, it would be nice to learn more about some of the characters - mainly Catch who was quite the character had some great sayings and come backs for Rachel. She was a hoot!
Charming, enjoyable and magical!
Rachel Monroe has a secret - she can grant wishes. Sounds wonderful, right? But to her it is anything but. Being able to grant wishes is a HUGE responsibility especially if things go wrong. Just because she can grant wishes, doesn't mean she can control them, and she vows to never grant a wish again. But things change, as things often do, when she accidentally grants his best friend's daughter's birthday wish. Fearing that things could get worse, she leaves town and ends up in Nowhere, North Carolina where she meets another magical woman named, Catch who can bind secrets by baking them into pies. She also meets Ashe, Catch's neighbor, who quickly befriends her and works his way into her life. Soon wishes and secrets find her, and Rachel must decide what to do, what she wants, and how to proceed. She wants to make Nowhere her home, but will her past wish catch up with her?
Sure, you will have to suspends some disbelief while reading, but who cares? That is what makes this book so enjoyable. One shouldn't take magic or magical books too seriously, IMO. Plus, I dare you to read this and not want a piece of pie afterwards. My only complaint is that the ending felt a little rushed to me. I wanted just a tad more or at least an epilogue to see what all the characters are doing in the future. Plus, it would be nice to learn more about some of the characters - mainly Catch who was quite the character had some great sayings and come backs for Rachel. She was a hoot!
Charming, enjoyable and magical!
July 10, 2016
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
3.5 Stars
This was a super charming little book...
This one had Sarah Addison Allen feel to it. Rachel Monroe has a secret, she can make wishes come true. Sometimes with disastrous results. When one accidentally gets granted, Rachel decides it's time to pack up and leave town. She lands in Nowhere, North Carolina where she meets a great cast of characters hiding secrets of their own.
I enjoyed the heck out of this one. It was light-hearted, and easy to read, but also had some "feels" dotted throughout. The secondary characters were interesting and well written. Especially CATCH the old lady that takes Rachel in. All those descriptions of pies that they baked made me super hungry! I wish we would have gotten some recipes for them included in the book.
That said, I did have a few things that had me lowering my rating. I wasn't crazy with the romance between Ashe and Rachel. One, Ashe is actually still married to Lola for 90% of the book. He is getting a divorce, but for me, he seemed way too hung up and hurt by her still for me to buy that he would want to start something with Rachel. The other issue I had, is that it had a rather abrupt ending. Now I don't know if there is going to be another book to follow this one, but there were a TON of loose ends left.
Overall though I would recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a sweet and charming small town story, with magical elements.
3.5 Stars
This was a super charming little book...
This one had Sarah Addison Allen feel to it. Rachel Monroe has a secret, she can make wishes come true. Sometimes with disastrous results. When one accidentally gets granted, Rachel decides it's time to pack up and leave town. She lands in Nowhere, North Carolina where she meets a great cast of characters hiding secrets of their own.
I enjoyed the heck out of this one. It was light-hearted, and easy to read, but also had some "feels" dotted throughout. The secondary characters were interesting and well written. Especially CATCH the old lady that takes Rachel in. All those descriptions of pies that they baked made me super hungry! I wish we would have gotten some recipes for them included in the book.
That said, I did have a few things that had me lowering my rating. I wasn't crazy with the romance between Ashe and Rachel. One, Ashe is actually still married to Lola for 90% of the book. He is getting a divorce, but for me, he seemed way too hung up and hurt by her still for me to buy that he would want to start something with Rachel. The other issue I had, is that it had a rather abrupt ending. Now I don't know if there is going to be another book to follow this one, but there were a TON of loose ends left.
Overall though I would recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a sweet and charming small town story, with magical elements.
December 29, 2016
2.5 Stars
Rachel has spent most of her life trying to ignore her magical "gift", and with good reason: sixteen years ago it ruined her family's life...
For all it's faults, this story has a truly original concept: more the pity for the way it turned out.
The initial dark tone ends up disappearing in an avalanche of badly explained facts, stereotypical characters, and a never ending mention ( and eating) of pies!
I really don't understand how all of that people aren't diabetics. Really!
Even so, it was readable, so, there's that...
The story starts with twenty six old Rachel still living in her family home. And I say still, because that house doesn't harbour happy memories...
When a wish suddenly appears ( in front of her eyes, written in a piece of paper like they used to) after a long hiatus of them not bothering her, Rachel freaks out and decides to disappear town, before something bad happens to her friends.
You see, Rachel doesn't have a good relationship with her gift ever since a catastrophe happened.
Dark right? Well it even gets darker!
But then Rachel arrives to this little town, Nowhere, capital of the "Lost and Found".
I don't know what I was expecting, maybe a town full of odd ones?
But with the exception of Catch, a seventy five old woman who makes magical pies, with which she binds people's secrets, the rest of the folks were basically normal.
Which was kind of disappointing.
I was expecting more out of Catch's and Rachel's relationship. Although it ends up developing itself in a very aloof and cranky way, it always felt too superficial. And the same thing happened with the rest of the story and it's characters.
I wanted more out of Catch's background. When did she start making the pies?
Instead, the author decided to present her as just this cranky old lady constantly making pies: normal pies and magical pies.
________
Badly explained fact #23... why would people eat her pies if they would suspect (and with reason) that someone may be trying to make them forget something??
Look, I don't know about you, but I would probably swore pies off for LIFE.
Then there's Ashe, our broken hearted hero...
Handsome, attractive, always ready to help... and with a wife of whom he still hasn't divorced. Can you say, awkward much?
The ex wife is presented as a cheater, although I really don't understand how Ashe found out about it. Her name is Lola ( -__-) and we really don't understand why she cheated on Ashe well, there's mentions of great charm involved. Another magical ability?
Unfortunately that _ and that person's motives _ were never developed. Maybe because she didn't want to enter the soap opera domain. *cough* Too late...
Like I said there's a lot of mentions of people eating pie.
Constantly.
So, I guess there wasn't space or time to develop any thing else.
As for the final part, it went from magical realism to Disney land. Which was awkward.
Another plot that was extremely important, ends up not being resolved, and the ending was really wish washy.
Basically, great concept, but the execution could've been better.
August 6, 2016
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Rachel Monroe is something of a modern day fairy godmother: she can make wishes come true. Whenever someone makes a wish, a slip of paper flutters down out of nowhere and as soon as she reads the words on the paper, their wish is granted. When Rachel was younger, one of her own wishes came true and it was terribly life changing and she vowed never to make any other wishes come true. That is, until the day her friends daughter wished for a unicorn and a pony with a sugar cone strapped to its head appeared on her doorstep.
Terrified that she’s going to cause everything to go wrong again, she packs a bag and leaves town immediately. She finds herself stranded and out of gas in a town in North Carolina ironically named Nowhere. Rachel is taken in by a kind elderly lady named Catch and meets a man named Ashe. Feeling like she’s finally found someplace to call home, she hopes that her wishes cease to plague her.
I am an absolute sucker for any book that manages to include tasty foods. Sure, the summary sounded all sorts of fluffy cute with the fun magical realism bits and a cutesy romance to get all swoony over that completely reminded me of a Sarah Addison Allen novel, but when it was all said and done I was really only thinking one thing:
I was so eager to get my hands on a copy of this because I was completely prepared to adore this one because it had everything I typically love. It really would have been great but there were far too many plot holes and aspects that continued to be distracting to the storyline as a whole. On top of that there was just a bit too much cheesiness for my liking. Let me explain.
So Rachel up and leaves her stable home and job because she made a wish come true. The story started off shockingly somber (not a spoiler — revealed within first 5%) when it’s revealed that the wish that Rachel made come true, that changed her life forever, was the wish that her little brother would disappear. And he did. Literally. Her parents completely forget he ever existed, he was erased from every photograph, even the door to his bedroom disappeared like there was never a room there to begin with. Every last trace of him, gone. Rachel continues to insist she has a brother and she ends up getting institutionalized, her dad leaves the family, and her mother ends up committing suicide. For fucks sake.
So… moving on.
So Rachel up and leaves town and basically begins a new life in a new town thinking that people in a small town won’t have wishes or something. Personally, that just seemed a little drastic and far fetched to me. Especially since it’s not like she went out to live by herself in the boonies to get away from people whose lives she could potentially ruin or something. Suspension of disbelief is mildly required. I trudged on though, continuing to refocus on the important parts: the pie. Alas, the story continued to reveal itself as something akin to a Lifetime movie. Sorry, Lifetime movies just aren’t my thing. But we have the oh so perfect love interest, except he’s carrying some serious baggage. The townsfolk that go to great lengths (minus actual pitchforks) to run Rachel out of town. The mysterious person from Rachel’s past that knows everything and tries to blackmail her. The old lady that meets her and invites her to live with her the same day. There was just a lot of silly and unnecessary drama involved that was more far fetched than anything and really detracted from what could have been a really delightful story. All I know is, I didn’t sign up for all that. I came for the pie, dammit.
Honestly though, there is a ton of pie in this book and the descriptions will have you racing to the closest bakery. My favorite was by far the “salted chocolate tart with a potato chip crust. Drool. But holy hell, other than a single rib cook-off mentioned, pie is all this town seemed to eat. Then again, with all their daily drama, I’d probably eat nothing but pie too.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Rachel Monroe is something of a modern day fairy godmother: she can make wishes come true. Whenever someone makes a wish, a slip of paper flutters down out of nowhere and as soon as she reads the words on the paper, their wish is granted. When Rachel was younger, one of her own wishes came true and it was terribly life changing and she vowed never to make any other wishes come true. That is, until the day her friends daughter wished for a unicorn and a pony with a sugar cone strapped to its head appeared on her doorstep.
Terrified that she’s going to cause everything to go wrong again, she packs a bag and leaves town immediately. She finds herself stranded and out of gas in a town in North Carolina ironically named Nowhere. Rachel is taken in by a kind elderly lady named Catch and meets a man named Ashe. Feeling like she’s finally found someplace to call home, she hopes that her wishes cease to plague her.
I am an absolute sucker for any book that manages to include tasty foods. Sure, the summary sounded all sorts of fluffy cute with the fun magical realism bits and a cutesy romance to get all swoony over that completely reminded me of a Sarah Addison Allen novel, but when it was all said and done I was really only thinking one thing:
I was so eager to get my hands on a copy of this because I was completely prepared to adore this one because it had everything I typically love. It really would have been great but there were far too many plot holes and aspects that continued to be distracting to the storyline as a whole. On top of that there was just a bit too much cheesiness for my liking. Let me explain.
So Rachel up and leaves her stable home and job because she made a wish come true. The story started off shockingly somber (not a spoiler — revealed within first 5%) when it’s revealed that the wish that Rachel made come true, that changed her life forever, was the wish that her little brother would disappear. And he did. Literally. Her parents completely forget he ever existed, he was erased from every photograph, even the door to his bedroom disappeared like there was never a room there to begin with. Every last trace of him, gone. Rachel continues to insist she has a brother and she ends up getting institutionalized, her dad leaves the family, and her mother ends up committing suicide. For fucks sake.
So… moving on.
So Rachel up and leaves town and basically begins a new life in a new town thinking that people in a small town won’t have wishes or something. Personally, that just seemed a little drastic and far fetched to me. Especially since it’s not like she went out to live by herself in the boonies to get away from people whose lives she could potentially ruin or something. Suspension of disbelief is mildly required. I trudged on though, continuing to refocus on the important parts: the pie. Alas, the story continued to reveal itself as something akin to a Lifetime movie. Sorry, Lifetime movies just aren’t my thing. But we have the oh so perfect love interest, except he’s carrying some serious baggage. The townsfolk that go to great lengths (minus actual pitchforks) to run Rachel out of town. The mysterious person from Rachel’s past that knows everything and tries to blackmail her. The old lady that meets her and invites her to live with her the same day. There was just a lot of silly and unnecessary drama involved that was more far fetched than anything and really detracted from what could have been a really delightful story. All I know is, I didn’t sign up for all that. I came for the pie, dammit.
Honestly though, there is a ton of pie in this book and the descriptions will have you racing to the closest bakery. My favorite was by far the “salted chocolate tart with a potato chip crust. Drool. But holy hell, other than a single rib cook-off mentioned, pie is all this town seemed to eat. Then again, with all their daily drama, I’d probably eat nothing but pie too.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
July 30, 2016
I received this via Goodreads FirstReads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.
---
Cute charming little story and the food descriptions, my god they made me hungry haha. I would love one of Catch's pies.
The magical abilities of sone of our characters were neat and the town itself I loved but again it's a question of liking it but not loving it.
It also annoyed me how long it took her to accept het ability. While I understand the why of it and all... it just felt drawn out to me.
The romance is/was sweet :)
Would sort of recommend, cute summer read
---
Cute charming little story and the food descriptions, my god they made me hungry haha. I would love one of Catch's pies.
The magical abilities of sone of our characters were neat and the town itself I loved but again it's a question of liking it but not loving it.
It also annoyed me how long it took her to accept het ability. While I understand the why of it and all... it just felt drawn out to me.
The romance is/was sweet :)
Would sort of recommend, cute summer read
August 4, 2016
As a fan of magical realism, I was ecstatic to win an early copy of this book from the author. The setting is quaint and cozy Nowhere, North Carolina, and the main character has the ability to grant wishes, including her own. She meets a woman named Catch who has a little magic of her own, and there is yummy baking involved. The themes of second chances and choosing happiness were uplifting, and overall, as you can tell by my rating, I was completely charmed by this magical book!
September 9, 2016
Review
Rachel can make wishes come true. That doesn't mean it is a good thing though. Rachel leaves her home to escape the wishes and finds herself in Nowhere, North Carolina - town of the Lost and Found. Rachel stays with the town pie maker Catch. She finds a job and meets a guy. But will her ability to make wishes come true run her out of this town too?
This book was just so darn delightful. The wishes and some other magic that popped added such a fun aspect to the story. I loved how all aspects of Rachel's life was intertwined with her ability and where she ended up. In the literal sense she ended up in Nowhere, North Carolina which I wound up enamored with. It had that great southern small town feel. Everyone knows everyone, there are some quirky characters and inevitably some drama.
All of the characters were fun but Rachel, Catch and Ashe were the best. Rachel was easy to like and root for. She couldn't control her whole wish granting thing so I felt bad for her. Catch was especially a favorite for me. She was a stubborn and sometimes cranky old lady who made pies but also was loving and caring for those who were special to her. Ashe was such a great guy and I couldn't help falling for him myself.
And PIES!! Did I mention there were lots and lots of pies mentioned in this. It made me so hungry. I never realized there were so many kinds of pies. YUM!
While I would have loved some parts be explained more or things to be looked at in more depth it didn't really take away from my enjoyment. It was a really quick read that was fun but still tugged a little at my emotions. I would definitely recommend for those who read Women's Fiction and love it a little whimsy in their stories.This review was originally posted on Rebel Mommy Book Blog
Rachel can make wishes come true. That doesn't mean it is a good thing though. Rachel leaves her home to escape the wishes and finds herself in Nowhere, North Carolina - town of the Lost and Found. Rachel stays with the town pie maker Catch. She finds a job and meets a guy. But will her ability to make wishes come true run her out of this town too?
This book was just so darn delightful. The wishes and some other magic that popped added such a fun aspect to the story. I loved how all aspects of Rachel's life was intertwined with her ability and where she ended up. In the literal sense she ended up in Nowhere, North Carolina which I wound up enamored with. It had that great southern small town feel. Everyone knows everyone, there are some quirky characters and inevitably some drama.
All of the characters were fun but Rachel, Catch and Ashe were the best. Rachel was easy to like and root for. She couldn't control her whole wish granting thing so I felt bad for her. Catch was especially a favorite for me. She was a stubborn and sometimes cranky old lady who made pies but also was loving and caring for those who were special to her. Ashe was such a great guy and I couldn't help falling for him myself.
And PIES!! Did I mention there were lots and lots of pies mentioned in this. It made me so hungry. I never realized there were so many kinds of pies. YUM!
While I would have loved some parts be explained more or things to be looked at in more depth it didn't really take away from my enjoyment. It was a really quick read that was fun but still tugged a little at my emotions. I would definitely recommend for those who read Women's Fiction and love it a little whimsy in their stories.This review was originally posted on Rebel Mommy Book Blog
September 3, 2016
4.5 stars...
This was truly a magical read and I am so glad I had an opportunity to read it! Anyone who is a fan of Sarah Addison Allen or enjoys her writing will be delighted with this southern tale of small towns, friendship, and forgiveness by debut author Susan Bishop Crispell. I look forward to reading more by her in the future.
I was enchanted by Rachel and her "special" talent with wishes, yet sad with how her life was affected by it. When she lands in Nowhere, NC while fleeing her TN home (by chance or not??) it somehow seems right. Chance, who also has a "special" talent, but with pies, is a kind mother-mentor figure for Rachel and helps her sort out her feelings. Said feelings tend to get all haywire when Chance's neighbor Ashe comes around. He's handsome and caring, but has his own problems. She worries about what has happened in her past and if the relationships she's forged will survive it. What will happen when the truth of her talents is made public?
Highly recommended to those who enjoy reading magical realism!
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Dunne books for the opportunity to read an ARC and review it**
This was truly a magical read and I am so glad I had an opportunity to read it! Anyone who is a fan of Sarah Addison Allen or enjoys her writing will be delighted with this southern tale of small towns, friendship, and forgiveness by debut author Susan Bishop Crispell. I look forward to reading more by her in the future.
I was enchanted by Rachel and her "special" talent with wishes, yet sad with how her life was affected by it. When she lands in Nowhere, NC while fleeing her TN home (by chance or not??) it somehow seems right. Chance, who also has a "special" talent, but with pies, is a kind mother-mentor figure for Rachel and helps her sort out her feelings. Said feelings tend to get all haywire when Chance's neighbor Ashe comes around. He's handsome and caring, but has his own problems. She worries about what has happened in her past and if the relationships she's forged will survive it. What will happen when the truth of her talents is made public?
Highly recommended to those who enjoy reading magical realism!
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Dunne books for the opportunity to read an ARC and review it**
June 24, 2016
I’ve been dying to read this book since I read the synopsis and it didn’t disappoint! A charming North Carolina town, magic, pies, secrets, a hot neighbor—what’s not to love? This magical story is about finding yourself and choosing to be happy. The characters are complex and memorable and Nowhere drew me right in. I loved the emotion behind Rachel’s desire to stop the wishes. The romance with Ashe was both steamy and sweet. And endings are hard, but I really loved this one. It was satisfying and wrapped things up without making it all unrealistically perfect. Also, this book made me want pie every day!
May 12, 2016
This is such a fun, magical story. Rachel has a powerful secret: she can grant wishes. But she's had some seriously bad luck when some of those wishes came true. Wanting to escape, she runs to a new town where she discovers magic is just a part of life. There she encounters people who teach her about herself, her family, and how to sort out what she wants versus what she needs. There are a number of subplots that are handled deftly and carried out to a very satisfying conclusion. And a sweet romance winds through the book along with an awful lot of delicious-sounding pie.
September 6, 2016
I've been a fan of Susan's words for a while now, so I was beyond excited to get a copy of this gorgeous thing in my greedy hands.
Love love loved Rachel. She's easy to relate to {well, besides that granting wishes thing...}, smart, and stronger than she realizes. It was enjoyable being in her head and going through the highs and lows with her. Catch is my favorite type of character. I love the snarky grandmother type, and let me assure you Catch is exactly that. She has a secret of her own and it's fun to watch Rachel find it out and then figure out what it all means. Ashe...well, he's a perfect southern gentleman. There are definitely some swoons, but I'll let you find those on your own.
Oh and did I forget to mention pie? Yeah...pie has a serious role in this story.
**Huge thanks to Susan for spoiling me rotten and sending me an arc**
Love love loved Rachel. She's easy to relate to {well, besides that granting wishes thing...}, smart, and stronger than she realizes. It was enjoyable being in her head and going through the highs and lows with her. Catch is my favorite type of character. I love the snarky grandmother type, and let me assure you Catch is exactly that. She has a secret of her own and it's fun to watch Rachel find it out and then figure out what it all means. Ashe...well, he's a perfect southern gentleman. There are definitely some swoons, but I'll let you find those on your own.
Oh and did I forget to mention pie? Yeah...pie has a serious role in this story.
**Huge thanks to Susan for spoiling me rotten and sending me an arc**
September 1, 2016
Rachel Monroe can make wishes come true. When one of her friend’s daughter’s wishes is granted she is so afraid something else will go wrong she leaves and winds up in a town called “Nowhere” in North Carolina, which is exactly where she would like to be, nowhere. As she tries to make a new life in this small town she is taken in by a kind elderly lady and meets a man but the people of Nowhere are not so easy to accept her. Will she be able to call this place home or will she once again move on and start over maybe in someplace called “Somewhere”? I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.
October 24, 2016
I really wanted to give this book a higher rating, but I just can't. The basic story was cozy and fun yet the writing was lacking in flow and tenderness. The ending wasn't complete for me; I wanted it to be more definite and truly hopeful. It didn't wrap everyone's lives up quite like I would have liked.
July 5, 2016
If you're the kind of person who wishes (pun not intended but I am *totally* leaving it) that Pushing Daisies had gone on to have five more seasons, THIS is a novel for you.
Crispell's prose is effortless and homey, and I have been craving pie from the moment I started reading. The story and characters were delightful, and I was pleased to see how their journeys unfolded.
Crispell's prose is effortless and homey, and I have been craving pie from the moment I started reading. The story and characters were delightful, and I was pleased to see how their journeys unfolded.
November 2, 2017
Pretty nice little story there.
Suspend reality, jump in and enjoy!
I loved Catch and I would love to have a piece of pie at her house with her.
Suspend reality, jump in and enjoy!
I loved Catch and I would love to have a piece of pie at her house with her.
February 17, 2017
I randomly picked this one off the shelf at the library one day and the synopsis intrigued me enough to take it home. I am ever so glad I did! The idea behind the story is certainly an interesting one and from the first pages to the final chapter, I was sucked into Rachel's world completely. From Rachel herself, to Ashe, Mary Beth, Everley, and especially Catch, I fell in love with all the characters and the way they interact with one another. As for the town of Nowhere, NC itself, it seems a pretty nice place to be! :)
We get dropped into Rachel's world and immediately I was curious how this wishes-coming-true bit was going to work. With such an unusual premise as that, I wondered if and when I'd get all my answers. Turns out Ms. Crispell gives us just enough information to understand what's happening, yet leaves much up to our imaginations. Which is the perfect combo! It's not really explained how Rachel got her gift, but the focus is on the important bits of how she is reacting to it and using it. She has to learn to trust herself, and trust is never easy when you've been hurt in the past. But that's all part of her journey and the town does its best to make sure she learns what she needs to grow.
I loved all the magical realism presented here actually. Because Rachel's not the only one with a gift. Catch and her pies are a needful influence on Rachel and she becomes a mentor of sorts for her. The two women become close friends and learn to trust in and open up to each other. I loved watching them work in sync in the kitchen making those yummy-sounding pies! I actually spent a great deal of this book salivating over all those delicious smells and wonderful tastes. Ms. Crispell clearly knows her way around pie! :) But Catch isn't the only one who becomes important to Rachel and the circle of friends that she creates around her warmed my heart. She has spent so many years holding herself back and watching her become more confident and less fearful is beautiful to see.
Then there's Ashe. Ah, the chemistry between those two! They are both so incredibly aware of the other any time they're close and watching as they circle around, trying to figure this attraction out, just melted my heart. I will say there are a couple bits that bothered me about their relationship, but it's more a personal preference, so I overlooked it and simply enjoyed their conversations and interactions. They really are pretty adorable together!
Take the quirky characters and the friendships that form between them, add in all the interesting bits about wishes and pies, and you end up with a story that made me laugh several times, swoon over the cute, and ultimately thoroughly enjoy every minute spent in Nowhere.
We get dropped into Rachel's world and immediately I was curious how this wishes-coming-true bit was going to work. With such an unusual premise as that, I wondered if and when I'd get all my answers. Turns out Ms. Crispell gives us just enough information to understand what's happening, yet leaves much up to our imaginations. Which is the perfect combo! It's not really explained how Rachel got her gift, but the focus is on the important bits of how she is reacting to it and using it. She has to learn to trust herself, and trust is never easy when you've been hurt in the past. But that's all part of her journey and the town does its best to make sure she learns what she needs to grow.
I loved all the magical realism presented here actually. Because Rachel's not the only one with a gift. Catch and her pies are a needful influence on Rachel and she becomes a mentor of sorts for her. The two women become close friends and learn to trust in and open up to each other. I loved watching them work in sync in the kitchen making those yummy-sounding pies! I actually spent a great deal of this book salivating over all those delicious smells and wonderful tastes. Ms. Crispell clearly knows her way around pie! :) But Catch isn't the only one who becomes important to Rachel and the circle of friends that she creates around her warmed my heart. She has spent so many years holding herself back and watching her become more confident and less fearful is beautiful to see.
Then there's Ashe. Ah, the chemistry between those two! They are both so incredibly aware of the other any time they're close and watching as they circle around, trying to figure this attraction out, just melted my heart. I will say there are a couple bits that bothered me about their relationship, but it's more a personal preference, so I overlooked it and simply enjoyed their conversations and interactions. They really are pretty adorable together!
Take the quirky characters and the friendships that form between them, add in all the interesting bits about wishes and pies, and you end up with a story that made me laugh several times, swoon over the cute, and ultimately thoroughly enjoy every minute spent in Nowhere.
October 13, 2017
3.5 stars
I think this is what’s called magical realism — It has fantasy elements but is really a drama. Rachel has the power to grant wishes, usually involuntarily. When she was little, she wished her little brother out of existence and has been burdened by guilt ever since. She takes off in her car and mysteriously runs out of gas in Nowhere, North Carolina, where the fantasic is usually believed. She’s taken in by Catch, an old woman who helps people keep secrets through baking pies. So we have WISHES and SECRETS.
There’s a romance that feels a little forced, like it’s there as an obligation to the genre. The love interest is going through a divorce, so he’s still married when they’re flirting and kissing. Rachel eventually learns to control and accept her wish-granting powers. Meanwhile there’s tons of coincidences going on, because that’s the kind of place this is.
The end left a lot of loose ends. If it had brought everything together in a solid resolution, it would have left a much more powerful impression as a book. At the end, we’re not totally sure where the romance is headed, , why the rotting tree is so bad, if the pies have a connection to wishes now, and
There’s very little swearing, some making out and innuendo, and just a few editing errors.
I think this is what’s called magical realism — It has fantasy elements but is really a drama. Rachel has the power to grant wishes, usually involuntarily. When she was little, she wished her little brother out of existence and has been burdened by guilt ever since. She takes off in her car and mysteriously runs out of gas in Nowhere, North Carolina, where the fantasic is usually believed. She’s taken in by Catch, an old woman who helps people keep secrets through baking pies. So we have WISHES and SECRETS.
There’s a romance that feels a little forced, like it’s there as an obligation to the genre. The love interest is going through a divorce, so he’s still married when they’re flirting and kissing. Rachel eventually learns to control and accept her wish-granting powers. Meanwhile there’s tons of coincidences going on, because that’s the kind of place this is.
The end left a lot of loose ends. If it had brought everything together in a solid resolution, it would have left a much more powerful impression as a book. At the end, we’re not totally sure where the romance is headed, , why the rotting tree is so bad, if the pies have a connection to wishes now, and
There’s very little swearing, some making out and innuendo, and just a few editing errors.
August 31, 2016
The Secret Ingredient of Wishes by Susan Bishop Crispell If you like Sarah Addison Allen, you will love this book. It's about a young woman who is finding herself and accepting her past in a quirky town peppered with eccentricities. With the warmth characterization of Billie Letts and the narrative ease of Alice Hoffman, Crispell spins a tale of magic and loss in an artful and beguiling way. Rachel has an unusual secret: she can grant wishes. What seems like a blessing is more often a curse as she navigates a new community and the first flits of love. This is a book to savour, to press to your heart once you've sighed over a gorgeous line or two. Like this one: "I've come to realize that life is much more fun if you think anything's possible."
I highly recommend this for the evenings yawning into Autumn. An author to keep.
I highly recommend this for the evenings yawning into Autumn. An author to keep.
April 14, 2017
Where do I even begin with this book? I only finished it partly because it was a book club book, and partly because I was aghast at the terrible story-telling and flat characters. It was emotionally immature and assumed the reader was just as shallow.
July 6, 2016
This is a magical page-turner about a woman who accidentally wished away her little brother as a child, an action that landed her in a hospital and therapy because no one believed that her brother ever existed--including her parents. Now an adult, the wish-granting ability that Rachel so desperately wants to suppress is back full force. She leaves town to avoid accidentally harming her closest friends and lands in Nowhere, North Carolina after running out of gas. She decides to give Nowhere a chance with the help of an old woman who can bind secrets into pies -- the attentions of a handsome neighbor don't hurt either. But when the town's wishes begin to rain down on her (literally via white scraps of paper -- fantastic visuals and sensory details abound), she must make peace with her ability and the wished-away brother or risk losing the people she's grown to love. A delightful tale with just the right mix of sweetness and darkness.
October 26, 2016
DNFing on page 129. I am in a serious, serious reading slump, and it's bad.
This book isn't horrible, it just exists. The plot is kind of ridiculous, and even though it was explained to me why people choose to eat the pie when it will make them not spill secrets, I still do not get it. If I lived there I would not eat the pie if it made me do something I didn't want to do. So in my mind, the very bones of this novel DO. NOT. WORK.
Mix in some flat characters that could be just about any character in any novel, and I just do not have it in me to finish. This was supposed to be like a Sarah Addison Allen novel. It is not. This novel focuses on a silly romance. Sarah Addison Allen's novels HAVE a romance, but they also have a family saga, friendship, wonderful atmosphere, some magic, and they do it all with a perfect balance. This one was almost all romance and people either trying to get them together or keep them apart. This is not what I signed up for.
This book isn't horrible, it just exists. The plot is kind of ridiculous, and even though it was explained to me why people choose to eat the pie when it will make them not spill secrets, I still do not get it. If I lived there I would not eat the pie if it made me do something I didn't want to do. So in my mind, the very bones of this novel DO. NOT. WORK.
Mix in some flat characters that could be just about any character in any novel, and I just do not have it in me to finish. This was supposed to be like a Sarah Addison Allen novel. It is not. This novel focuses on a silly romance. Sarah Addison Allen's novels HAVE a romance, but they also have a family saga, friendship, wonderful atmosphere, some magic, and they do it all with a perfect balance. This one was almost all romance and people either trying to get them together or keep them apart. This is not what I signed up for.
February 6, 2017
It was the pie on the cover. That, and wishes. I'm a sucker for a book with a pie in it and wishes. And I was in the mood for a bit of romance.
Well, it was a silly toy of a book, with all kinds of crazy plot points like a main character who can grant wishes, who wishes away her little brother, who ends up in a town called Nowhere, who lodges with a woman who binds secrets. It would have made a pretty good episode of Twilight Zone once upon a time, but readers expect more of their books. Oh well. At least it had lots of yummy pie.
Well, it was a silly toy of a book, with all kinds of crazy plot points like a main character who can grant wishes, who wishes away her little brother, who ends up in a town called Nowhere, who lodges with a woman who binds secrets. It would have made a pretty good episode of Twilight Zone once upon a time, but readers expect more of their books. Oh well. At least it had lots of yummy pie.
August 7, 2016
First off, this book will make you HUNGRY and make you want to start baking all the delicious things! Second off, this book will invade your heart and make you all swoopy-eyed and you'll be feeling ALL the feels!
What a great debut!
What a great debut!
May 23, 2016
I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this. Magic, pies, and romance - basically everything good in the world.
April 14, 2017
Ridiculous from beginning to end, and not in a charming way.
July 18, 2017
Terrible. Don't do it.
December 19, 2017
I loved the little magical town of Nowhere. This reminded me of Dorothy Garlocks writing without the magic
I fell in love with Ashe. Sweet charming book to snuggle with.
I fell in love with Ashe. Sweet charming book to snuggle with.
December 28, 2017
Place: Nowhere, North Carolina
People: Rachel Monroe--a young woman with a secret she's trying to hide (or run away from). Catch--an old woman with a gift of her own who takes Rachel into her home and under her wing. Ashe--Catch's neighbor and friend.
Plot: Rachel has a very unusual ability--she can make wishes come true. The trouble is, they don't always turn out the way she (or the wisher) expects. For years, she has tried to suppress her ability; now, after accidentally granting a wish for her best friend's little girl, she simply wants to run away from it. Rachel hits the road without saying goodbye, only to run out of gas in the small town of Nowhere, North Carolina. Once she's there, a new friend (Catch) makes Rachel wonder if her gift can be a blessing instead of a curse. As Rachel gets to know Catch, Ashe, and the rest of the small southern town, she must own up to the truth about herself, her abilities, and what she wishes for her own future.
Pacing: Relaxed, but purposeful
Predictability: n/a
Perspective: I happened to find this book at a library book sale. After reading the description on the book jacket, I scooped it up. Magical realism is a favorite genre of mine--and who doesn't like pie?! When I picked it out of my to-read pile, it was the seventh book I had started that day. I was disappointed and discouraged because I couldn't find anything that grabbed my attention and kept me interested enough to read. But The Secret Ingredient of Wishes was just what I needed. Sweet and heartfelt, with a touch of sultry and sass, the story had me hooked from the first chapter. Can't wait to read more from this author!
People: Rachel Monroe--a young woman with a secret she's trying to hide (or run away from). Catch--an old woman with a gift of her own who takes Rachel into her home and under her wing. Ashe--Catch's neighbor and friend.
Plot: Rachel has a very unusual ability--she can make wishes come true. The trouble is, they don't always turn out the way she (or the wisher) expects. For years, she has tried to suppress her ability; now, after accidentally granting a wish for her best friend's little girl, she simply wants to run away from it. Rachel hits the road without saying goodbye, only to run out of gas in the small town of Nowhere, North Carolina. Once she's there, a new friend (Catch) makes Rachel wonder if her gift can be a blessing instead of a curse. As Rachel gets to know Catch, Ashe, and the rest of the small southern town, she must own up to the truth about herself, her abilities, and what she wishes for her own future.
Pacing: Relaxed, but purposeful
Predictability: n/a
Perspective: I happened to find this book at a library book sale. After reading the description on the book jacket, I scooped it up. Magical realism is a favorite genre of mine--and who doesn't like pie?! When I picked it out of my to-read pile, it was the seventh book I had started that day. I was disappointed and discouraged because I couldn't find anything that grabbed my attention and kept me interested enough to read. But The Secret Ingredient of Wishes was just what I needed. Sweet and heartfelt, with a touch of sultry and sass, the story had me hooked from the first chapter. Can't wait to read more from this author!
August 30, 2020
What a pleasant surprise. If you read this book, please, suspend all thoughts of “that could never happen”. This book, you see, was fantastical. But, I felt it was done in a believable way. Please just accept it and read on!
You see, there were no unicorns (ha), fairies, wizards, etc. It was fantasy but in a small town America kind of way.
I’m my recent years I’ve been enjoying the books written about small towns. This book was done differently though because of the “secret ingredients”.
This book left me wanting pie. Tons and tons of pie.
The Nathan Fillion reference made me lol! Only a fellow browncoat will get it though! Shiny!
You see, there were no unicorns (ha), fairies, wizards, etc. It was fantasy but in a small town America kind of way.
I’m my recent years I’ve been enjoying the books written about small towns. This book was done differently though because of the “secret ingredients”.
This book left me wanting pie. Tons and tons of pie.
The Nathan Fillion reference made me lol! Only a fellow browncoat will get it though! Shiny!
May 20, 2017
You will definitely want pie after reading this book. Rachel can grant wishes but has no ability to control them. When she was young she made a wish that changed her life forever. Now she is worried that is going to happen again. She winds up in a town called Nowhere. This is where the real story begins.
This was a quick, light read. Not my favorite but not bad either. I do really want that pie.
This was a quick, light read. Not my favorite but not bad either. I do really want that pie.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 423 reviews