by Kim Fay
Penguin Publishing Group, February 2022
kindle edition 192 pages
source: borrowed from the library
Motivation for reading: Catherine from The Gilmore Guide to Books talked about this on the podcast Sarah's Bookshelves Live and it sounded like a book I'd love.
A portion of the goodreads summary:
The #1 Indie Next Pick, in the vein of the classic 84, Charing Cross Road and Meet Me at the Museum, this witty and tender novel follows two women in 1960s America as they discover that food really does connect us all, and that friendship and laughter are the best medicine.
When twenty-seven-year-old Joan Bergstrom sends a fan letter--as well as a gift of saffron--to fifty-nine-year-old Imogen Fortier, a life-changing friendship begins. Joan lives in Los Angeles and is just starting out as a writer for the newspaper food pages. Imogen lives on Camano Island outside Seattle, writing a monthly column for a Pacific Northwest magazine, and while she can hunt elk and dig for clams, she's never tasted fresh garlic--exotic fare in the Northwest of the sixties. As the two women commune through their letters, they build a closeness that sustains them through the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassination of President Kennedy, and the unexpected in their own lives.
My thoughts:
This book is a gem! I love an epistolary novel, and this one has been compared to an all-time favorite 84, Charing Cross Road. Turns out that comparison is spot on. The main difference here (aside from the fact that this is fiction and 84, Charing Cross Road is nonfiction) is that the friendship - between two women of different generations in the 1960s - is forged over food rather than books. It begins with a fan letter and a gift of saffron and ends up a most extraordinary friendship.
I loved this little book and was sorry to reach the end. It will surely appear on my list of favorites in December. I plan to purchase a hard copy for myself and will likely gift a copy or two at Christmas. Don't miss it!
My rating: 
This sounds like a book that I would love as well. 84,Charing Cross Road was a gem. So happy you shared your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteDiane - The 60s setting made this even more appealling!
DeleteLove that letters are still exchanged, and hope we never lose that form of communication. book sounds fab.
ReplyDeleteTrin - I, too, hope we never stop writing letters... it almost seems like a dying form of communication these days.
DeleteThis sounds wonderful. I think it is already on my tbr but I better go check. I've got June so overscheduled with book challenges and want-to's that I'm feeling a rebellion slump! this would be a slump-buster, I bet. Happy End of May! be sure to shop at Job Lot when you get "north" LOL and enjoy The Promise, I found it sobering and sad but definitely a pick.
ReplyDeleteCare - Make sure this is one your list! It's so short it wouldn't even be that much of rebellion... but so worth it. Sobering and sad is a good description of The Promise, but I'm really liking it so far. (Need to investigate Job Lot.)
DeleteSounds perfect. I confess, though, the epistolary part gave me pause, and then I remembered this is a prejudice I have held since I was a kid, despite having loved several epistolary books. I will definitely put this on the list.
ReplyDeleteJane - Definitely put this on your list! I think my childhood love of Harriet the Spy (which I reread regularly a ridiculously long period of time) predisposed me to love a epistolary format.
DeleteI tend to enjoy epistolary format books, and food is always fun to read about!
ReplyDeleteAngela - I don't think I've ever read an epistolary novel I didn't enjoy!
DeleteVicki - I just know you will love this one! Since 84, Charing Cross Road is such a favorite, I also added Meet Me at the Museum (the other book the publisher compared Love & Saffron to) to my tbr list.
ReplyDeleteYou've sold me on Love and Saffron, I need that book. Loved Charing Cross road and the movie was so good as well.
ReplyDeleteTina - I'll bet you love this book, too... and thanks for reminding me of the Charing Cross Road movie. I've never seen it!
DeleteYou had me at epistolary, Camano Island, and 84, Charing Cross Road!
ReplyDeleteLes - I just know you're going to love this!
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