Recipe for Second Chances

To say that Stella and Samuel have a complicated history would be an understatement. After a decade of marinating in will-they-or-won’t-they tension—Stella would have been satisfied with a hookup, but Samuel always wanted something more—things finally boil over when the two reconnect at their friends’ destination wedding. Can they take their relationship from simmering to sizzling, or was the fire between them just a flash in the pan? Cookbook writer Rosen (Modern Freezer Meals) makes a delicious fiction debut with this witty, forced-proximity, friends-to-lovers tale. It’s no surprise that Rosen’s rich description of Indian and Italian fare is mouthwatering, but her cast of characters is so large that depth and development are sacrificed. Narrator Natasha Chandel’s sedate voice doesn’t match Stella’s spirit or her South Carolina origins, but the sweet second-chance story is nonetheless engaging. A selection of Umbrian recipes follows the narrative.