The Secret's in the Sauce

The Potluck Club #4

by Linda Evans Shepherd, Eva Marie Everson

The women of the Potluck Club have decided on a bold move. They're launching a catering business that's a lot like them: saucy, spicy, and well-seasoned. But will personal secrets cause the business to crumble before it gets off the ground?
As the women focus on their new venture they will have to deal with a steamy past that threatens a marriage, the scalding truth about those they thought they knew, and the outrageous situations that come out of an unexpected--and revealing--trip back home. Readers will be delighted to see that the ladies of Summit View, Colorado, haven't left the kitchen--they've merely turned up the heat on their most delectable adventure to date.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Cookbooks, Food

336 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 2008

About the author

Author of When You Don't Know What to Pray-How to Talk to God About Anything & Potluck Club novels, speaker, TV host, President of Right to the Heart & AWSA.com

Reviews

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly enjoyable Christian-based tale, doesn't 'beat you to death with a Scoffield Bible,' human situations handled humanely, with terrific recipes at the end of the novel. I will read the rest of the series.

[Sarah]

I picked this up for free years ago.

I got halfway through and decided to stop not because it was bad, but because of what it made me think about.
This is about a few women and their lives, but it seemed to focus on their issues and problems. I don't mind books with messy people, but this books felt to me like we spent all our time on just the issues, not their strengths. The only person who seemed happy was a newly married lady.
What finally caused me to put this down was a woman reliving an affair she had. She is feeling shame about it but her recollection was long and I came away just feeling depressed. The only woman who seemed happy in her marriage was the newlywed.
As someone who wants to value my marriage, I want books that show healthy marriages after the newlywed phase. That doesn't mean everything has to be happy and hot all the time. I don't mind struggles, but I'm tired of, in an effort to be real, we aren't portraying good, healthy marriages later in life.
Mostly, I quit this book because when I was thinking about returning to this book, all I was thinking about were the problems these people had. I want things that turn my heart and mind to good things, even if that is through the probloms.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I played a bit of catch-up with this book, as I read the next one in the series before this one. That said, it's a fairly quick read and nice to see what I'd kind of missed. Yes, as the title alludes, they all have secrets. One of the worst of the secrets is probably Lisa Leann's secret: for someone whom came in all hoity-toity in the first book, she's been proven more than once to be a flawed human, and probably more likeable. Now, Lizzie probably had the worst secret, but it seemed underdeveloped and rushed in the story. I've liked the growth of Donna overall, when it is focused on more than just the tug and pull between the two men in her life. I was left still scratching my head about the dropped lawsuit story, but the new abuse storyline is interesting and helps; and helped her in developing her aforementioned personal relationships with the guys.
Overall, fine...like the others.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Potluck catering club book. Good interpersonal relationships between the characters, but nothing exciting really happens.

[Connie Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d give it 3.5 stars. Nice Christian Lit with many characters and storylines.

[sarah sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secrets Galore

Finding out about how women of God struggle with life and how their faith helps them trust each other through with non-judgemental love is a realistic hope for all who have been there. This is my reason for the rating given.

[Barb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Silly and mindless, light "Christian women's fiction." This book gets a C+. (12/20/2008)

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adult Christian fiction. I had this book on my Nook for the longest time and finally sat down to read it on my vacation. I have not read the original Potluck Club series, and there was definitely a lot of background information on the characters that I missed. As a result, I had a bit of trouble keeping the 6 women narrators straight. This story was centered on the secrets we keep from our loved ones, and it was a bit too high drama for me. There were multiple long-lost relatives, marital affairs, and drinking to name the most prominent secrets. One woman had given20 to 30 years ago, and her mother had her sign adoption papers while she was recovering from a rough delivery--telling her that the baby had died and she was signing death paperwork! Aside from the drama, this was a story about a group of friends coming together to form a catering club and their first event, a high-brow bridal shower for a bank employee. Numerous recipes mentioned in the story are featured in the back of the book.

[IrishFan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had read the first 3 books with these characters years back and could never find this trio of books in the series. I was able to find all 3 on Thriftbooks.com and ordered them. I was looking forward to reading them because I had enjoyed the previous books. Man this one took me a few days to get into. I couldn't really remember which character was which, and kept getting confused! I think I finally got them figured out 2/3 of the way through. There wasn't much of Goldie in this book, I don't remember if she figured heavily in the first 3 books. The other ladies were ok, but none of them really endearing except maybe Donna. I'm diving right into the next book, I'm hoping it flows a bit better and is a bit more catching to me.

[Rena Ackley · Rating 4 out of 5]

“All God’s children got secrets” declares one of the members of the Potluck Catering Club at the end of the novel. This band of women who go from Potluck Club to catering each have a secret that they work hard to conceal. Though one of their chief goals is to act as a prayer chain, they have chosen to keep some things secret not only from each other’s but from family. Female friendship, dysfunctional families, romantic liaisons, stress are all addressed in a realistic and entertaining manner by Ms Shepherd. Can’t wait to read the next one. Bonus: great recipes at the end.

[Pam Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to imagine starting a new business when the workers are under a lot of personal and family pressure but that's what the ladies of the Potluck Club decide to do. While planning their first event, some of them come close to a breaking point and choose to keep their secrets rather than reveal them to the others for prayer and understanding. Readers will relate to the ladies and their situations. Many recipes are included.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just assumed this was the same series as The Pot Luck Club....it is but it isn't. The ladies are now a catering club but their story from The Pot Luck Club books picks up where it left off in "The Pot Luck Club Takes The Cake". I love how each chapter follows one of the group-you always know what's going on in their lives.

AND the recipes in the back look delicious!

[Sheri Brakhage · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret’s in the Sauce

Too many secrets could spoil and ruin the sauce. Also, it could make a mess of several ladies’ lives, as this book entertains. The characters were so likable and easy to relate to, and their friendship bonds are something to admire and strive for in my own friendships.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute!

This was a cute story with a lot of really good life lessons in it. I saw a lot of my own faults in the different women. I appreciated how the authors brought friendships and Christ’s love and forgiveness as the solution.

[Virma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed the opening of the series spin off from the Potluck Club. I enjoyed the side stories introduced in this series but it seems like it really is just an extension of the Potluck Club. True to the genre and an easy read.

[Mary Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A change of pace

A well written book about women and their trials in life and how they handle them. A mother's fall into dimentia, a daughter's wedding and an unexpected son returning all make vo a heartfelt storyline.

[Polly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fluffy read. I had a little trouble remembering who was who as each chapter was the voice of another character. It does include recipes. It also included the challenge of lust and stress drinking.

[Tonya Mathis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I read straight through the day and night. I only stopped long enough to make sandwiches for dinner. I was so glad to get back to the Potluckers. I missed reading about them and their families. i borrowed all three books from the library when I saw them on the shelf.

[Patricia M. Marston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love and Cooking

This book (series) has everything - - romance, drama, Christian values and everyday issues that women deal with. A great read, you won't want to put it down!!

[Tammy Adams · Rating 1 out of 5]

Blah. Didn't think I'd ever get through this one.

[Martha062850 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book.
It was fun following each woman and the highs and lows of their life.

[Lisa Terwilliger · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this for bookclub and while I enjoyed the chapters being each women's POV, I find it very hard to believe. All of it was a little too "sweet" for me.

[Kisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need to do a better job at checkingnif books are partnof a group i had read book 3# would have been nice to read this back to back i couldnt rember everyones storys.

[J Shaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute, funny, believable and full of love for others
It's important to have friends that are close.

[Literary Chanteuse · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book fun to read

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yum

What a delicious read. It's got a fun story to read and recipes what more could a woman want right? I think you'll like the book as much as I did.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner! Book is filled with mystery, intrigue, love, anger, and friendship. So glad to have found yet another series with these characters and their continuing saga of common people and their everyday lives.

[Obsidian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though this is called book number one in "The Potluck Catering Club" it apparently was a spin-off of another series by authors Linda Shepherd and Eva Everson. I feel as if I was at a disadvantage since this novel doesn't provide enough back story for a new reader to follow along with what has occurred between characters in this novel. A lot of the novel is just recapping what happened between characters in other novels and very little was actually about the catering club. I actually thought that it would be more about them getting together, planning parties, and the women in the club actually interacting together. Instead there was a mis-mash of story lines and very real interaction with the women of the catering club until the very end.

Another major issue is that due to the number of characters in this novel I did not get enough time to really become involved with anyone's story. The chapters quickly alternate between characters and I had to go back several times to the beginning of a chapter just to remind myself who was 'speaking'.

Third and the most important issue for me was that when I looked up the book description this was not put out there as a Christian fiction novel. I have no issue with Christian fiction but it really is not my taste and I found a lot of things not really delved into at all besides some characters remarking they should pray on it. Frankly if the women in the novel were as Christian as they talked I would assume that the authors would have more scenes of them interacting at church or at church functions. I think this novel was definitely trying to be chick lit with a hint of Christian mixed into it and it ended up just not working at all.

I will definitely not be following up with the next book in this series.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who has been regularly going to potlucks his entire life and loves Christian fiction, The Potluck Catering Club series sounded like it was right up my alley. In some ways, it was; the story was good, the writing mostly well-done, and it was pretty much light-hearted, frothy literary fun. However, two significant problems plagued this novel: First off, the unperiodic switching of narrators between chapters made it a bit confusing; if the authors had done it like Michael Dorris' Morning Girl, where the narrators alternated, it would have been easier to keep track of the characters. As it was, sometimes I had to flip back just to figure out who was speaking. The other problem was quite bizarre, and something I've never seen in all my years of reading: For some odd reason, in three places in this book, two letters ("fi" twice, "ff" once) are replaced by a box with an "X" inside it. I get that typos can happen; authors, editors, and publishers are just as fallible as the rest of us. Still, I've never seen a typo quite like that; maybe it was some sort of computer glitch? If you can forgive those issues, you might like this.

P.S. I know The Potluck Catering Club is a sequel series to The Potluck Club, but I was able to understand The Secret's in the Sauce just fine without reading the previous installments. It was like the first time I watched Growing Pains; I may not have known all the characters' backstories, but it didn't detract all that much from the humor.