Recommendations based on Joy for Beginnersby Erica Bauermeister

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. The School of Essential Ingredients

    by Erica Bauermeister
    A cooking class helps its students find personal growth and explore the power of food in their lives.

    Reminiscent of, Chocolat, and, Like Water for Chocolate, a gorgeously written novel about life, love, and the magic of food. The School of Essential Ingredients follows the lives of eight students ... (Goodreads)

  2. The Scent Keeper

    by Erica Bauermeister
    A young girl raised on a remote island by her father, who collects scents, discovers the truth about her past and the power of memory.

    Erica Bauermeister, the author of the February Reese's Book Club pick, The Scent Keeper, presents a moving and evocative novel about childhood stories, families lost and found, and how a fragrance ... (Barnes & Noble)

  3. The Kitchen House

    by Kathleen Grissom
    A young Irish girl is taken in by a plantation family in Virginia and becomes entangled in the lives of the slaves who work there.

    When a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family. Orphaned while onboard ship ... (Goodreads)

  4. The Postmistress

    by Sarah Blake
    Three women's lives intersect during WWII as a postmistress decides whether to deliver a letter that could change everything.

    CDs, 9 CDs, 11 hours What would happen if someone did the unthinkable-and didn't deliver a letter? Filled with stunning parallels to today, The Postmistress is a sweeping novel about the loss of ... (Goodreads)

  5. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

    by Beth Hoffman
    A young girl's journey of self-discovery, gaining strength and resilience in the face of adversity.

    Twelve-year-old CeeCee is in trouble. For years she’s been the caretaker of her psychotic mother, Camille— the crown-wearing, lipstick-smeared laughingstock of an entire town. Though it’s 1967 and ... (Goodreads)

  6. These High, Green Hills

    by Jan Karon
    A small-town pastor's journey of faith, as he learns to accept himself and his place in the world.

    For years, Mitford's sixtysomething rector has been happily married to his parish. Now he's also married to Cynthia, his vivacious next-door neighbor. For Father Tim, life in Mitford has never been ... (Goodreads)

  7. A Light in the Window

    by Jan Karon
    A heartwarming tale of small-town life, love, and faith. Follow Father Tim as he navigates the ups and downs of his community.

    - Readers will enjoy a story from the popular series-packaged bestseller! - Includes new Reader's Guide for group discussion or personal reflection ... (Goodreads)

  8. The Shell Seekers

    by Rosamunde Pilcher
    A family explores their past, present, and future while examining the importance of treasured objects.

    Shifting in time, the novel tells the story of Penelope Keeling, the daughter of unconventional parents (an artist father and his much-younger French wife), examining her past and her relationships ... (Wikipedia)

  9. Women of the Silk

    by Gail Tsukiyama
    A story of female silk workers in rural China, their struggles, and their journey towards independence and self-discovery.

    In, Women of the Silk, Gail Tsukiyama takes her readers back to rural China in 1926, where a group of women forge a sisterhood amidst the reeling machines that reverberate and clamor in a vast silk ... (Barnes & Noble)

  10. Clifford the Small Red Puppy

    by Norman Bridwell
    A small red puppy grows into a gigantic dog, causing chaos and adventure in his owner's life.

    Clifford wasn't always a big red dog. . . Clifford begins life as a very small, red puppy, but once he starts growing into a very large, red dog, there seems no limit to his potential size. Featuring ... (Barnes & Noble)

  11. The Book of Negroes

    by Lawrence Hill
    A gripping tale of resilience and courage, tracing the life of a woman kidnapped in Africa and sold into slavery in North America.

    The Book of Negroes (based on the novel Someone Knows My Name) will be BET's first miniseries. The star-studded production includes lead actress Aunjanue Ellis (Ray, The Help), Oscar winner Cuba ... (Goodreads)

  12. The Storyteller

    by Jodi Picoult
    A storyteller's quest to restore faith in the power of storytelling and to mend the wounds of her past.

    25-year-old Sage Singer lives in the small town of Westerbrook, New Hampshire . , A couple of years before the story began, Sage and her mother were in a car accident while Sage was driving. Sage's ... (Wikipedia)

  13. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

    by Jamie Ford
    A touching story of the intersection of love, family, and culture during World War II.

    Henry Lee, the son of Chinese parents in Seattle , Washington, is the only Asian child at his elementary school. His father makes him wear an "I Am Chinese" button so he will not be mistaken for a ... (Wikipedia)

  14. Brava, Valentine

    by Adriana Trigiani
    Valentine Roncalli juggles her long-distance relationship, family drama, and running her shoe business. A heartwarming tale of love and family.

    A once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity takes shoemaker Valentine from the winding streets of Greenwich Village to the sun-kissed cobblestones of Buenos Aires, where she finds a long-buried secret ... (Goodreads)

  15. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

    by Rachel Joyce
    An elderly man's unexpected quest of faith, discovering the power of hope and love.

    Harold Fry, 65, has cut the lawn outside his home at Kingsbridge on the south coast of Devon when he receives a letter. A colleague of twenty years ago, Queenie Hennessy, has cancer and is in a ... (Wikipedia)

  16. That Month in Tuscany

    by Inglath Cooper
    A woman travels to Tuscany to escape her problems and finds love in unexpected places.

    Ren Sawyer and Lizzy Harper live completely different lives. He's a rock star with a secret he can no longer live with. She's a regular person whose husband stood her up for a long planned ... (Barnes & Noble)

  17. The Bungalow

    by Sarah Jio
    A young nurse falls in love with a soldier during World War II, but their romance is cut short. Years later, she returns to the island where they met and uncovers secrets from the past.

    A sweeping World War II saga of thwarted love, murder, and a long-lost painting. In the summer of 1942, twenty-one-year-old Anne Calloway, newly engaged, sets off to serve in the Army Nurse Corps on ... (Goodreads)

  18. Promises to Keep

    by Jane Green
    A woman's life is turned upside down when her husband dies, leaving her to raise their children and confront secrets from his past.

    A, NY Times, bestseller and "a poignantly written novel that powerfully celebrates the power of love and friendship" (,Chicago Tribune,)., Over the course of twelve novels,, Jane Green, has ... (Goodreads)

  19. The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe

    by Mary Simses
    A lawyer inherits a blueberry farm and bakery in Maine, leading her to question her fast-paced city life and rediscover love.

    A high-powered Manhattan attorney finds love, purpose, and the promise of a simpler life in her grandmother's hometown. Ellen Branford is going to fulfill her grandmother's dying wish — to find the ... (Barnes & Noble)

  20. Karolina's Twins

    by Ronald H. Balson
    A Holocaust survivor seeks the help of a lawyer to find her twin daughters. A journey of discovery and healing ensues.

    In the tradition of, The, Nightingale,, Sarah's Key, and, Lilac Girls, comes a saga inspired by true events of a Holocaust survivor’s quest to return to Poland and fulfill a promise, from Ronald H. ... (Barnes & Noble)

  21. The Best Laid Plans

    by Terry Fallis
    A political satire about a hapless engineer who becomes a Member of Parliament. Hilarity ensues as he tries to navigate the world of politics.

    A burnt-out political aide quits just before an election — but is forced to run a hopeless campaign on the way out. He makes a deal with a crusty old Scot, Angus McLintock — an engineering professor ... (Goodreads)

  22. The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder

    by Rebecca Wells
    A young woman navigates life in a small Louisiana town, facing love, loss, and self-discovery along the way.

    In the small river town of La Luna, Louisiana, Calla Lily Ponder bursts into being, a force of nature as luminous as the flower she is named for. Under the loving light of the Moon Lady, the feminine ... (Barnes & Noble)

  23. The Christmas Wedding

    by James Patterson
    A heartwarming story of a family coming together for a Christmas wedding, with secrets and surprises along the way.

    The tree is decorated, the cookies are baked, and the packages are wrapped, but the biggest celebration this Christmas is Gaby Summerhill's wedding. Since her husband died three years ago, Gaby's ... (Goodreads)

  24. Come Rain or Come Shine

    by Jan Karon
    A heartwarming story of love, family, and community set in the charming town of Mitford.

    #1, New York Times,–bestselling author Jan Karon returns—with the story readers have been waiting for. Over the course of ten Mitford novels, fans have kept a special place in their hearts for Dooley ... (Goodreads)

  25. The Magic Misfits

    by Neil Patrick Harris
    A group of young magicians team up to stop a villainous carnival owner from stealing their town's most prized possession.

    From award-winning actor, Neil Patrick Harris, comes the magical first book in a new series with plenty of tricks up its sleeve. , When street magician Carter runs away, he never expects to find ... (Goodreads)

  26. Mosquitoland

    by David Arnold
    After her parents' divorce, Mim runs away to find her mother. Along the way, she discovers herself and the true meaning of family.

    I am a collection of oddities, a circus of neurons and electrons: my heart is the ringmaster, my soul is the trapeze artist, and the world is my audience. It sounds strange because it is, and it is, ... (Goodreads)

  27. Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts

    by Kate Racculia
    Eccentric billionaire dies and leaves behind a treasure hunt. Tuesday Mooney and her friends race to solve the puzzles and uncover the secrets.

    A handsome stranger. A dead billionaire. A citywide treasure hunt. Tuesday Mooney’s life is about to change . . . forevermore. Tuesday Mooney is a loner. She keeps to herself, begrudgingly ... (Barnes & Noble)

  28. The Thirteenth Tale

    by Diane Setterfield
    A mysterious storyteller reveals a dark family secret, transforming the lives of those around her.

    Vida Winter, a famous novelist in England, has evaded journalists' questions about her past, refusing to answer their inquiries and spinning elaborate tales that they later discover to be false. Her ... (Wikipedia)

  29. Deadly Stillwater

    by Roger Stelljes
    A small-town Minnesota sheriff investigates a murder that leads to a dangerous conspiracy.

    THE CRIME SERIES WITH 2.5+ MILLION DOWNLOADS and 50,000+ REVIEWS,New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Mystery Series TWO GIRLS GONE...,Shannon hustled to her car and dug into her black purse, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  30. The Soldier's Wife

    by Margaret Leroy
    A young woman in Guernsey during WWII falls in love with a German soldier and must navigate the dangers of war and societal expectations.

    As World War II draws closer and closer to Guernsey, Vivienne de la Mare knows that there will be sacrifices to be made. Not just for herself, but for her two young daughters and for her ... (Goodreads)