The Secret's in the Sauce

The Potluck Club and The Potluck Catering Club are great! There is finally someone writing Christian fiction for and about mature women. The situations are real. The characters are not perfect, have secrets, made and make mistakes just like you and me. They love and care for one another and for their families the same as the readers do. It is such fun to follow their lives. Here's hoping for a new title soon!

The Potluck Club is back and better than ever! They've decided to take their culinary talents, join forces and start up a catering business to serve the town of Summit View. What better way to have fellowship than to serve delicious foods with your best friends to those who love your home cooking? However secrets from the ladies' past start to come back and haunt them. When trying to hide their lurid past from each other, it only starts to tear each woman apart from the inside. Will they learn to trust each other to help them out or will the business fall apart before it barely gets up off the ground? This book is like comfort food. You know you're going to enjoy the book even before you open the cover. I was so happy to see that one of my favorite series was continuing. I was also happy that the story just adds on, nothing out of the ordinary has changed in Summit View. Everyone gets along a lot better in these books. It's really nice to see the group come together without too much bickering. Any characters that seemed annoying in the first series have toned down a lot are and are more likable. Lisa Leann finally has moments where she cannot be in control. It was refreshing to see her not acting like a know it all for a change. I really hope that Lizzie's story is expanded more in future books. I feel like something needs to be done for her situation as no one is helping her out and it's getting to be a downward spiral. I, myself, have no trouble with the multiple story lines and points of view. Each character is unique and has such an interesting story line that I never got lost. The only thing I didn't like was the way Donna was treated by her half sister and by her boyfriend's mother. How much negativity and snubbing can one person take? Also what's funny is that in the past series I complained that there was too much of Clay and that he took away from the series. Now in this one, he's barely in it at all and I want him back! As always, there are some wonderful recipes from dishes mentioned in the book added for your reading and tasting pleasure. I even tried out a couple of the recipes in the back of the book. The Texas Hash was super easy to make and delicious. I have had requests to make it again (thank you Lisa Leann!) I can't wait for the next book in the series. I love these ladies and I'm so glad they're back!

In Summit View, Colorado following the wedding of Evangeline and Vernon catered by the Potluck Club members, the women believe they have proven how good they are as everyone enjoyed the food. They decide to open up a catering business. They find success preparing meals for galas. However, while their cooking and catering are proving triumphant, each has personal issues to face. One of the members turns to alcohol; another's torrid ancient history affair surfaces; a third just lost her beloved parent; and finally a fourth must choose between two lovers. They turn to one another for solace. The Potluck Club crowd decides to become professional caterers at a time when each of the members have personal issues. The rotating lead never gets deep into anyone's particular woes so their problems are minimized; almost trivialized. Still fans of the series will enjoy the latest optimistic entry as the Potluck Club turns professional. Harriet Klausner