The Ingredients of You and Me: A Novel

Nina Bocci

Apr 2020 · Hopeless Romantics Book 3 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of the “heartwarming and refreshingly sweet” (Lauren Layne, New York Times bestselling author) On the Corner of Love and Hate comes a story about a baker who takes her chances on a new town...and an old love.

After selling her famous bakery back in New York, Parker Adams visits Hope Lake, Pennsylvania, to figure out her next steps. And soon she’s wondering why she ever loved city life in the first place. Between the Golden Girls—the senior women who hold court—and Nick Arthur, her equally infuriating and charming former flame, Parker finds a community eager to help her get her mojo back.

But even though Hope Lake gives her the fresh start she’s been looking for, Parker discovers that it’s not so easy to start over again with Nick. Their chemistry is undeniable, but since Nick is a freshly taken man, Parker is determined to keep things platonic. With a recipe for disaster looming, Parker must cook up a new scheme, figuring out how to keep everything she’s come to love before she loses it all.

Perfect for fans of Amy E. Reichert and Jenny Colgan, The Ingredients of You and Me is a scrumptious romantic comedy that lets you have your cake and eat it too.

Ratings and reviews

Oh Em Gee...It was good, no GREAT to be back in Hope Lake. Too bad Parker and Nick took too long to actually hook up this time. They had a clandestine tryst and then a misunderstanding and Nick ghosted Parker and now Parker has sold her bakery in New York and looking to start Parker Phase Two in Hope Lake. The only problem is she is baking blocked and the Golden Girls are her new Pack. This whole story is one hoot after another and I was charmed from page one through to the end. The only thing that would have made it better is if Nick and Parker would have hooked up sooner. Definitely a keeper for me! **Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

This was my third time indulging myself in the clever levity of Nina Bocci and I am enamored with her sharp wit and uniquely quirky and dynamic characters with my pet being the indomitable Mrs. Mancini, my favorite octogenarian. I want to be Mrs. Mancini when I grow up. The storylines were entertaining yet realistic and relatable, the characters were infuriating at times yet likable and well-meaning, and the writing was crisp, witty, and divinely amusing. Creating a snarky message delivery system through baked goods and naming the bakery Delicious and Vicious was nothing short of ingenious. I declare myself one of Nina Bocci’s most devoted acolytes.

Parker has his a ‘baking wall’ with her creativity, and there’s little that’s taking her out of her own frustration. Having sold her bakery (Delicious and Vicious) and now with time to focus on ‘other projects’, she can’t seem to get anything to work. Deciding that her friend Charlotte is just what she needs, she rents a lake house in the little town, and heads to Pennsylvania to rest, regroup and find her mojo. What she’s not told anyone is that she and Nick, also a friend in their little group, is best friends with Cooper and Henry: significant others of her two good friends Emma and Charlotte. In fact, no-one knows of the connection between her and Nick, and Parker still doesn’t know why he ghosted her before the holidays – just when she was getting ready to change her life with the sale of the bakery. A Favorite - see full review at I am Indeed

About the author

Nina Bocci is a USA TODAY bestselling novelist who loves reading and writing about swoony, relatable heroes and smart, witty heroines. If the story is set in a small town, even better. You can always find her chatting on social media about her massive, crazy Italian family and her favorite person in the world, her son. Find her at @NinaBocci on Twitter and Facebook and @Ninapolitan on Instagram.