
Recipe for a Charmed Life
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Narrated by:
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Traci Odom
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By:
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Rachel Linden
About this listen
“Heartfelt, heartwarming, joyful, and uplifting. You can't go wrong with a Rachel Linden book.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber
After a day of unrivaled disappointments, a promising young chef finds every bite of food suddenly tastes bitter. To save her career, she travels to the Pacific Northwest to reconnect with her estranged mom, and discovers a family legacy she never suspected in this delicious novel from the bestselling author of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie.
American chef Georgia May Jackson has one goal—to run her own restaurant in Paris. After a grueling decade working in Parisian kitchens, she is on the cusp of success. But in one disastrous night, Georgia loses her sous-chef position, her French boyfriend, and her sense of taste! Renowned for her refined palate and daring use of bold flavors to create remarkable dishes, Georgia is devastated to discover her culinary gift has simply...vanished.
When she receives a surprising invitation from her estranged mother, Georgia flees to a small island near Seattle hoping the visit will help her regain her spark in the kitchen. As she tentatively reconnects with her mom, a free-spirited hippie eager to make up for her past mistakes, Georgia realizes there is something about the enigmatic island she just cannot piece together. Good luck charms start appearing in the oddest places. Her neighbor is a puzzlingly antagonistic (and annoyingly handsome) oyster farmer. And her mom keeps hinting at a mysterious family legacy.
With the clock ticking and time running out to win her dream job in Paris, Georgia begins to unravel some astonishing secrets that make her wonder if the true recipe for a charmed life might look—and taste—very different than she ever imagined.
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Critic reviews
"This poignant story folds in themes of food and cooking with magical realism, grace, and a touch of romance." —Booklist
"With delicate touches of magical realism and an abiding sense of comfort, Linden offers a gentle hug of a story." —Library Journal
“Filled with suspense, magic, and mouth-watering descriptions of food, and set against a backdrop of a gorgeous island in the Pacific Northwest, Recipe for a Charmed Life brings us a spunky, gritty heroine who must try to reinvent herself after a devastating heartbreak. This beautiful story is a feast not to be missed!” —Maddie Dawson, bestselling author of Snap Out of It
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There's just one thing standing between liberal Senate staffer Kate Adams and passage of the landmark legislation she's been fighting for all year: Ben Mackenzie, intimidating gatekeeper for one of DC's most powerful conservative senators. After Kate and Ben lock horns in a meet-not-so-cute, they vow to take each other down - by any means necessary.
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Overall Not Good
- By Jo on 06-01-21
By: Devon Daniels
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Love, Holly
- A Novel
- By: Emily Stone
- Narrated by: Heather Long
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Ever since a car accident tore her family apart, Holly has been part of a lonely-hearts holiday letter–writing club. Each December, she writes to a stranger who is also spending Christmas alone, and receives a letter from another lonely person in return. Usually, the letters go unanswered. That’s the point—the letters are anonymous, and the senders write whatever is in their heart. But this year, the letter Holly receives is different; not only is the letter full of a grief she knows all too well, but its writer, Emma, mentions a place that Holly has visited.
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Sad girl Christmas?
- By KATE OLSON on 11-15-23
By: Emily Stone
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But He's My Grumpy Neighbor
- But He's a Carter Brother, Book 1
- By: Annah Conwell
- Narrated by: Leanne Woodward, Evan Sibley
- Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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It’s not stalking if he’s your hot neighbor…right? At least, that’s what I tell myself when Adrian Carter moves in next door. His scowl should make me want to run in the other direction, but when I catch him smothering a smile around me, it makes me want to get to know him more. And when Adrian starts to open up, I find myself falling in love with the cinnamon roll center hidden beneath his gruff exterior. But between my emotional baggage and his aversion to relationships, it’s looking like we’ll never be more than neighborly.
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Absolutely loved it!
- By Dowaine on 08-22-24
By: Annah Conwell
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The Printed Letter Bookshop
- By: Katherine Reay
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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One of Madeline Cullen’s happiest childhood memories is of working with her Aunt Maddie in the quaint and cozy Printed Letter Bookshop. But by the time Madeline inherits the shop nearly 20 years later, family troubles and her own bitter losses have hardened Madeline’s heart toward her once-treasured aunt - and the now struggling bookshop left in her care. While Madeline intends to sell the shop as quickly as possible, the Printed Letter’s two employees have other ideas.
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Underneath it all
- By LuckyL42 on 08-05-20
By: Katherine Reay
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Angel's Rest
- An Eternity Springs Novel
- By: Emily March
- Narrated by: Kathe Mazur
- Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Beloved author Emily March returns with a warm and uplifting novel about a small town with a big heart. Welcome to Eternity Springs, a little piece of Heaven in the Colorado Rockies. Gabriel Callahan has lost everything that mattered. All he wants is solitude on an isolated mountain estate. Instead, he gets a neighbor. Vibrant, no-nonsense Nic Sullivan is Eternity Springs’ veterinarian, and she has an uncanny plan to lure this talented architect back to the world of the living.
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Brilliant
- By Donna on 02-20-11
By: Emily March
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Next-Door Nemesis
- By: Alexa Martin
- Narrated by: Jade Wheeler
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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After years of hustling, Collins Carter has finally made it...back to her parents’ house. Between tending to the compost with her newly retired dad and running into her high school nemesis at the only decent coffee shop in town, Collins realizes this subdivision from hell she swore she’d never return to is her rock bottom. Then the homeowner’s association complaint arrived.
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Great characters! Steamy!
- By Broncosgirl on 02-02-24
By: Alexa Martin
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One-Star Romance
- By: Laura Hankin
- Narrated by: Laura Hankin
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Natalie and Rob couldn’t have less in common. Nat’s a messy artist, and Rob’s a rigid academic. The only thing they share is their devotion to their respective best friends—who just got engaged. Still, unexpected chemistry has Natalie cautiously optimistic about being maid of honor to Rob’s best man. Until, minutes before the ceremony, Nat learns that Rob wrote a one-star review of her new novel, which has them both reeling: Nat from imposter syndrome, and Rob over the reason he needed to write it. When the reception ends, these two opposites hope they’ll never meet again.
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I feel mis-lead!! (In a good way)
- By Dawn B. on 11-27-24
By: Laura Hankin
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The Fifth Avenue Story Society
- By: Rachel Hauck
- Narrated by: Lisa Larsen
- Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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When five New Yorkers receive an anonymous, mysterious invitation to the Fifth Avenue Story Society, they suspect they’re victims of a practical joke. No one knows who sent the invitations or why. No one has heard of the literary society. And no one is prepared to reveal their deepest secrets to a roomful of strangers. Yet curiosity and loneliness bring them back week after week to the old library. And it’s there they discover the stories of their hearts, and the kind of friendship and love that heals their souls.
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A Christian centered theme
- By Pamela on 10-10-20
By: Rachel Hauck
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The Takedown
- By: Carlie Walker
- Narrated by: Sarah Naughton
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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It’s been a long time since Sydney Swift has gone home for the holidays. An unrelentingly successful CIA field officer, she has spent the last three years pretending to be someone—anyone—other than herself. But this year, the festive season is coming with some added surprises. Sydney’s beloved little sister has just announced that she’s engaged to Johnny Jones, the heir of an organized crime dynasty. With her built-in cover and her best-in-class reputation, Sydney is approached by the FBI as their way to infiltrate the Jones family at last.
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Thriller rom-com!
- By V on 12-26-23
By: Carlie Walker
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Levi Bailey Has Butterflies
- Another Bailey Brother, Book 1
- By: Jen Atkinson
- Narrated by: Rachel L. Jacobs, Oliver Clarke
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Meredith has plans. Big plans. She is done being safely wrapped in bubble wrap. She is ready to live. That's what her list is all about—living and experiencing. Is it fate that her list of learning, trying, and experiencing continues to bring her into the path of grumpy Levi Bailey? She isn't sure—but she doesn't mind. Levi is just a misunderstood cinnamon roll and Meredith plans to enjoy every second of helping him realize that.
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Love this grumpy/sunshine!
- By Lauren (@bookishlifeoflauren) on 08-29-24
By: Jen Atkinson
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Haunted Ever After
- By: Jen DeLuca
- Narrated by: Jeannie Sheneman
- Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Small Florida coastal towns often find themselves scrambling for the tourism dollars that the Orlando theme parks leave behind. And within the town limits of Boneyard Key, the residents decided long ago to lean into its ghostliness. Nick Royer, owner of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, embraces the ghost tourism that keeps the local economy afloat. Cassie Rutherford possibly overreacted to all her friends getting married and having kids by leaving Orlando and buying a flipped historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Though there’s something unusual with her new home.
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Spooky small town romance that give a warm hum… or hug
- By Sam on 08-18-24
By: Jen DeLuca
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Betting on the Boy Next Door
- Betting on Love, Book 1
- By: Melanie Jacobson
- Narrated by: Devon Sorvari, Blake Lockheart
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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There is nothing like hiding a secret identity from your roommate besties to complicate... everything. And when they decide I need a love life makeover, I can't tell them why I don't have time for their schemes. Retirement home nurse by day, lead singer of a rock band by night. Not on the schedule: Men. I'd rather cuddle with Bernice, the hangry boa next door. I can't think of an excuse fast enough to get out of betting my prime parking space against them finding me true love, but luckily, they pick the worst possible guy for me.
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Loved everything about it!
- By Kindle Customer on 04-21-25
By: Melanie Jacobson
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Spring House
- By: Mary Ellen Taylor
- Narrated by: Shannon McManus
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Pregnant and still grieving the death of her fiancé, historian Megan Buchanan is forging ahead on a dream project: to restore to its original glory the landmark hunting lodge her own great-great-grandfather built on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. With the help of her fiancé’s caring best friend, it’s sure to draw much-needed tourist revenue to Cape Hudson, a town rich in southern history. However, it’s Spring House, the caretaker’s cottage on the grounds, that holds the most intriguing history for Megan.
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This is a sequel... very confusing!
- By Maria on 07-17-19
What listeners say about Recipe for a Charmed Life
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Margie
- 01-25-24
The detail and the love of San Juans
While I was not fond of the Paris portion or accents Georgia May and her story was so touching!
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- Kathy
- 04-04-25
It’s great!
4.0 stars
I picked up this book because I loved Rachel Linden’s first book, The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie (TMOLDP). (Hint: it rated 5 stars)
These books both read as Magical Realism. Not too heavy, not too “convenient”. The plot is just right”.
Trope: this book was only 4 stars because one of the characters starts out with a big dose of guilt that he holds onto for way too long.
This is a personal dislike. It may not bother you at all.
This story revolves around food service, just like TMOLDP. However, we are following the life of a redheaded chef who works in a prestigious restaurant in Paris. Our woman has a brilliant temper, and I loved how wonderfully (if destructively), she used her anger in the beginning of the book. It felt very satisfying to watch her let loose with her anger in a way we never would (or should) do so in real life.
The woman goes home to America for a reunion with her long lost mother. Their relationship is gratifying. I don’t want to spoil the rest of the plot. But believe me when I say this is where the book got really good. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
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- Manda Anson
- 02-10-24
This is a love story about loving life, family and romance
In a single blow, Georgia May loses her sense of taste—a significant setback for an aspiring chef in Paris—alongside her two-year relationship and job. I’m all about stories where characters find themselves in a bit of a lost-and-found situation. Seeking clarity in life, Georgia undergoes a journey of self-discovery. This book not only delves into her sense of being lost but also intricately weaves in complex family dynamics, adding a touch of drama. Oh, and don’t forget a sprinkle of romance – that’s the recipe for an engaging story!
One thing I loved about the book besides the delicious food descriptions was the PNW location and Paris. Rachel did a wonderful job of transporting me to the streets of Paris and made me fall in love with the San Juan islands. I enjoyed Georgia’s journey of connecting with her mother and learning about her mother’s side of the family and the thought-provoking message of coming to know what it is we want in life. The important things and learning to live and be in the moment. I loved the little snippets of inner dialogue Georgia would have when she wondered what Julia Child would do.
This is a love story. A love of finding oneself. Finding love in what you’re passionate about. Love of family. Love of two people!
Read if you enjoy:
🥐 Delicious cooking
🥐 Reconnecting with a parent
🥐 Self Discovery
🥐 Romance subplot
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2 people found this helpful
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- Mary Ann Sudmeier
- 03-16-25
great book
I have really enjoyed all the books written by Rachel Linden and this book was no exception.
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- Donna A
- 02-27-24
a little magical realism
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Setting: Paris, San Juan Island
Format: 🎧
Performance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narrator: Traci Odom
Release Date: January 9, 2024
Length: 11 hrs/36 mons
Recipe for a Charmed Life is my second book by Rachel Linden. She has a special, let’s say “je ne sais quoi” when comes to blending a enchanting, heartfelt story with a little magical realism but just make sure you are ready for the lip-smacking recipes and delicious descriptions of the San Juan Island landscapes.
Georgia May Jackson, at a young age was abandoned by her mother and raised by her Texan father and aunt, is now living the dream. She has been living in Paris for the past ten years and has worked her way up to a sous-chef in an upscale restaurant. Georgia is right on the verge of reaching her goal .. becoming the head chef in a new and upcoming Paris restaurant, when disaster strikes .. a cheating lover, insulting a food critic and loss of taste and sparks sends her culinary career spiraling.
What she is not expecting is contact from her estranged mother with an invitation to come to San Juan Island to visit her. With hopes of reigniting her culinary spark, regain her sense of taste and expose family secrets as to why her mother suddenly left Georgia takes up her mother’s offer. Why now is her mother contacting her?
This visit with her mother will send Georgia in a journey of healing, regains her self-esteem, rekindle her love of cooking, finds a special bond with her mother, and surprisingly forms a friendship with the mysterious handsome neighbor with his own secret pass.
Rachel Linden brilliant weaves the importance of family and second chances, learning to forgive, romance and just a hint of magic. I felt the mother’s backstory and why she needed to see Georgia could have been revealed a little sooner.
The was an audiobook narrated by Traci Odom who did a splendid job.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Marion Sarrica
- 02-05-24
Horrible
Didn’t like anything about this book - written for a 5 year old - boring and predictable - narration is absolutely horrid
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