A heartwarming wartime story set in Fenley Village, England in 1942. The Kitchen Front was a real-life BBC radio show that ran during the war, giving recipes and advice on how to make the rations stretch to make a tasty family meal. In the book the show runs a cooking contest to recruit a new female presenter with four contestants. Lady Gwendoline Strickland is determined to win the accolades for herself, to impress everyone, but also in part to carve out something in her life that is separate to her overbearing husband. Her maid Nell Brown, coached by head cook Mrs Quince also enters the contest. Nell is held back by her lack of confidence and shyness, and pressure by the lady of the manor to leave the winning to her employer. Lady Gwendoline’s estranged sister Audrey also enters. Audrey is a war widow, struggling to raise her three boys and keep a roof over their head. Lastly there is flamboyant and ambitious chef from London, Zelda Dupont. Zelda is determined nothing will stand in her way to win the prize she hopes will let her overcome the glass ceiling and become head chef in a restaurant. The story follows the lives and hardships of each of the women and their interactions with each other. A wonderful, feel good story that sheds some light on life in wartime Britain. I can only imagine making a 2 square inch piece of cheese last for a week, and I had no idea the rations in England lasted until 1954.

The audiobook narrated by Jasmine Blackborow was most enjoyable. ( )

The Kitchen Front is a fairly new World War II era story that takes place 2 years after Britain entered the war. It was published in 2021. The plot follows four women from Fenley Village who are competing for a spot hosting a wartime cookery program called The Kitchen Front. The contestants must create an appetizer, entree and dessert. Points are given by the judge and the lady with the most points wins the competition. This book was based on an actual BBC program of the same name. With German U-boats frequently disrupting the UK's supply of food, Britain's housewives had to use ration coupons in order to obtain goods. In an effort to help housewives with food rationing, this BBC show ran a cooking contest. The grand prize was a job as the program’s first-ever female co-host.

For young widow Audrey, winning the competition could be a chance to pay off her husband’s debts and keep a roof over her children’s heads. However, her estranged sister Gwendoline is equally set on success even if her own kitchen maid, Nell, is competing against her. Then there is Zelda, a trained London-trained chef desperate to succeed in a male-dominated profession. These four women found that in order to finish the competition they will have to bend the rules. Lady Gwendoline has borrowed a french trained chef from another manor house to cook her entries. Both Nell and Zelda obtained the meat for their main courses from friends but Zelda's came from a black market source. Audrey "borrowed" some herbs from someone else's garden.

I thought the author made a wise decision to write a WWII historical novel that focused on food rationing. The book is not your typical WWII novel. We don't read anything about the progress of the war or the soldiers fighting it. It's all about the families left behind. I loved the small town English setting of this novel. I also enjoyed reading the detailed descriptions of the food and the recipes that were given. It's amazing how clever cooks were able to make food that was delicious given all the food rationing they had to deal with. Recipes are given at the end of each chapter.

Initially I disliked both Zelda and Gwendoline, particularly Gwendoline. As the story developed, their pasts were defined and I began to admire them for what they overcame in life. Audrey Landon is the most sympathetic character in the story. She is trying to raise her kids in a dilapidated house. She is only able to get by financially with a small pie making business. Her sister Gwendoline is an upper class lady with a condescending attitude and no joy. She thought that marrying well would bring her happiness but it didn't. Her husband was abusive, both mentally and physically. Zelda is a pregnant single woman who wants to be a head chef in a ritzy London restaurant. Nell Brown is a shy kitchen maid with amazing cooking skills and a wonderfully patient and kind teacher, Mrs. Quince. Both she and Quince work for Gwendoline's husband at Fenley Hall where they all live.

The Kitchen Front is an inspiring story that captured my heart. It has put author Jennifer Ryan on my radar and I plan to read her other books. ( )

Another treat from Jennifer Ryan. She is my new favorite. I really loved this, because I have always wanted a recipe for whale lard (LOL - just kidding. Yes, there's a whale lard recipe. No, I don't want it!).

Actually, I enjoyed this because, as was the case in The Chilbury Ladies Choir (fabulous!), her writing is beautiful, evocative, so poignant, and moves like a dream. In The Kitchen Front, Ms. Ryan has created well-nuanced characters, and I most especially appreciate her meticulous research into this understated but critically important part of life in Britain during WWII.

This is NOT a romance novel (in fact, hardly any romance at all). Instead, it's historical fiction in honor of strong women and the power and complexities of friendship.

If you are sick of dark and twisted suffering in fiction, get a breath of fresh, clean air -- devoid of saccharine, but a perfect hint of sweetness just the same. ( )

Fluffy, light, confection, somewhat saccharine. ( )

Great story, marred by stilted dialogue. ( )