Book Club: The Year of Miracles by Ella Risbridger

A glorious mix of sweetness, sadness and recipes.

About the book:

Ella was supposed to write a happy book of recipes for dinner parties. But then her long-term partner died of cancer, and the world was locked down by a pandemic. Month by month, Ella shares her grief, her growth and the nurturing recipes that helped her heal, and rediscover joy the joy of both food and friendship.

A bit about the author:

Born in London in 1992, Ella Risbridger is a poet, editor, columnist, children's author, journalist, anthologist and now recipe developer, following her first cookbook, Midnight Chicken - Recipes worth living for.

Why we’re crushing on this read:

While some might find it a little syrupy, it was exactly what I needed at the moment I read it.  It is soft and nurturing, encouraging and honest. 

It feels like you're sharing a meal with Ella, as she chats about the month passed and how she's coping with life and loss, initially. But month by month, she grows around her grief, and her family of close friends grows stronger. Life becomes brighter with each tried-and-tested-yet-tweakable recipe. Even the recipes are encouraging, sprinkled with phrases like "don't have that on hand? That's okay, it will still be delicious" and "You got this? You got this!" when things get more technical. It's a wonderful, somewhat whimsical sad joy to read.