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    The Glass Kitchen: A Novel of Sisters
    The Glass Kitchen: A Novel of Sisters
    The Glass Kitchen: A Novel of Sisters
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Glass Kitchen: A Novel of Sisters

    Written by Linda Francis Lee

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Three sisters move from Texas to New York City to open a restaurant in this novel about food, family, and finding true love from the author of Emily & Einstein.

    Portia Cuthcart never intended to leave Texas. Her dream was to run the Glass Kitchen restaurant her grandmother built decades ago. But after a string of betrayals and the loss of her legacy, Portia is determined to start a new life with her sisters in Manhattan…and never cook again. But when she moves into a dilapidated brownstone on the Upper West Side, she meets twelve-year-old Ariel and her widowed father Gabriel, a man with his hands full trying to raise two daughters on his own. Soon, a promise made to her sisters forces Portia back into a world of magical food and swirling emotions, where she must confront everything she has been running from. What seems so simple on the surface is anything but when long-held secrets are revealed, rivalries exposed, and the promise of new love stirs to life like chocolate mixing with cream.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateJun 17, 2014
    ISBN9781491530443
    The Glass Kitchen: A Novel of Sisters
    Author

    Linda Francis Lee

    Linda Francis Lee is a native Texan who now lives in New York City with her husband. She is a graduate of Texas Tech University, a former Texas Debutante, and once competed for the Maid of Cotton crown. (It seemed like a good idea at the time.) After serving on a very real New Projects committee, she became a seriously seasoned Junior Leaguer. She is the author of several romance novels, which have been nominated for numerous awards, including the prestigious RITA.

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    Reviews for The Glass Kitchen

    4.5/5

    388 ratings40 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 2/5
      This was highly formula driven. broody Damon Salvatore type wants to get his way with downstairs neighbor. They meet, they avoid, they bang. Again. and so on. she falls in love only to discover his betrayal and then he makes grand sweeping gesture. She forgives him. They live happily ever after. Just not my cuppa.
    • 4/5
      I loved the story. Could have left out sexual details.
    • 4/5
      I have mixed feelings on the book. I liked the way she writes, but the storyline was very weird.
    • 5/5
      Love love love . What a lovely book .
      I am looking forward to read more of her books
    • 5/5
      Great story of appreciating differences and loving yourself in spite of them.
    • 5/5
      What a lovely read. Magic romance and lots of family drama! Plus yummy recipes
    • 5/5
      Very interesting, heartwarming and keeps reader intrigued.. well worth sharing!
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed the book very much. The characters were fun to get to know.
    • 5/5
      It was an easy read, good story, with lots of humor.
      Delightful!
    • 5/5
      Loved this, didn’t want it to end. I love a good story about a woman starting her life over and finding adventure
    • 3/5
      I really loved this story. It would have been just as great without the explicit sex descriptions. What I found disgusting was the part when Portia clearly said NO and STOP but Gabriel refused to listen to her. Instead she gives in and decides she likes it. This is wrong. NO means NO. Every time. It should never be portrayed as optional because maybe the woman will actually like what is happening. This is never ok. Never.
    • 4/5
      As I am sure you recognize by now I tend to stay in the past when it comes to my choice in reading material. But once in a blue moon a book set in the present will appeal and I'll bite. Especially if the story revolves around food - I do love to cook! In this tale Portia learns she has inherited something called "the knowing," a feeling that tells her just what someone needs to eat at that given moment. It has apparently been running in her family for generations. She sees it as a curse, though rather than a blessing and tries to ignore it and be normal for the sake of her politician husband.We all know how that is going to work.After the divorce she goes to New York to lick her wounds and tries to fight the urge to cook. Her two sisters are already there and they try to help her in her grief. Their aunt had left them a brownstone but the other two girls had sold their shares to a man and his daughters. Portia moves into the basement apartment determined to remake her life.I must admit that I really enjoyed The Glass Kitchen. It was an entertaining novel for me after a load of heavy reading. That doesn't mean it completely made sense but sometimes you don't want a book that follows all the rules. I read it in one sitting (not that I might have in another situation. I picked it up after I hurt my leg and was couch bound. But it did keep my interest so that I didn't want to put it down.) Upon reflection though I realized how silly some parts were.Still, if you are looking for a diverting read with a somewhat engaging romance this would be a book to keep you happy. It's not all smooth sailing for our hero and heroine but it is certainly good eating.
    • 5/5
      Well narrated, written in a way to keep the reader continue reading. I was sad it finished!
    • 5/5
      This has become one of my "go-to" books for comfort, for entertainment, for hope!
    • 5/5
      I absolutely love this book! I have never read or listen to this author before but will look forward to more books the author has written
    • 4/5
      This was a lovely story, which took me to and from the office, during hour commutes. The ex-husband character resembles my own ex, so I cheered when Portia’s story had a happy ending, in a new blended family. It happens in real life, too. The food creations made it a delectable read, as well.
    • 3/5
      Fluff. Amusing.
    • 5/5
      You know you loved a book when you are so sad that the book ended!
      This was a fun, light story of the many facets of love and forgiveness, sprinkled with a little bit of magic. Add in the food and this book had me hooked! I actually miss the characters. A great read for someone who is looking to relax and enjoy a wonderfully sweet story.
    • 4/5
      Portia Cuthcart never intended to leave Texas. Her dream was to run the Glass Kitchen restaurant her grandmother built decades ago. But after a string of betrayals and the loss of her legacy, Portia is determined to start a new life with her sisters in Manhattan... and never cook again. But when she moves into a dilapidated brownstone on the Upper West Side, she meets twelve-year-old Ariel and her widowed father Gabriel, a man with his hands full trying to raise two daughters on his own. Soon, a promise made to her sisters forces Portia back into a world of magical food and swirling emotions, where she must confront everything she has been running from. What seems so simple on the surface is anything but when long-held secrets are revealed, rivalries exposed, and the promise of new love stirs to life like chocolate mixing with cream.
    • 5/5
      I loved the story line. A little magic mixed with love, family issues and food. This was my first book by the author and I can't wait to read more by her.
    • 3/5
      I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

      Charming! This book was as delightful as the recipe, a very fun read. I adored the sisters, their names, and their personalities. I loved how New York City became almost another character, the setting really worked for me. I didn't care for the repetitive mention that the sisters were from Texas...
    • 5/5
      This is probably one of my new favorite books I have read this year. The story of three sisters, it focuses on family traditions and family bonds. Cordelia, Olivia, and Portia (their parents were Shakespeare fans)move from Texas to New York City, where they have inherited an old townhouse from their great-aunt Evie. Cordelia and Olivia have already sold their apartment to Gabriel, but Portia clings to her share stubbornly. Portia becomes entwined in the lives of Gabriel and his daughters, as she tries to discover a way to make a living through her cooking.

      At the age of 7, it was discovered that Portia had been born with the gift of "knowing" - knowing what food a troubled soul might need to make a heart happier or a life easier. Tragedy strikes when she is a young adult, and she turns her back on her gift, only to find it is not that easy to deny the knowing. Slowly, tentatively, she creates her life again opening her heart and her mind in the process.

    • 4/5
      This is the perfect beach read – a love story set in New York City. Portia, a native of Texas, is forced to move when her political husband is caught having an affair with her best friend. She comes to live in the city with her two sisters, but unable to find anything else, she moves into the garden apartment that was left to her by her grandmother. The owner of the rest of the building becomes her love interest but before she can deal with that she must find a way to support not only herself, but her two sisters as well. Out comes other grandmother’s cookbooks and the second Glass Kitchen is born. There are few surprises but it is a fun read.
    • 5/5
      I will be looking for more books by this author---this was fun. The audio was great and the story had a little of everything. I was glad that she left the recipes to the very end---I would not have wanted to listen to that during the actual story line.
    • 5/5
      Portia Cuthbert who cooks amazing food, amazing because it's so good but also because it's food people need - even when they don't realize it. Porta has the same gift/curse her grandmother had called the "knowing" but she's been thinking it was more of a curse than a gift - partly because of what happened to her grandmother and partly because of her here of a husband who wanted her to be "normal". Portia has been living with her sister while waiting for her divorce settlement. But she's had enough and so moves into the brownstone apartment given to her by her Great-Aunt. Her sisters have already sold their apartments to Gabriel. Gabriel is a recent widower who has two daughters, Ariel and Miranda.

      The story is charming, funny and hot and there's a good balance between the realism and mysticism.

      Ariel's story and the food descriptions are really what make this book so good. Ms. Lee's mysticism reminds me of Sarah Allen Addison a favorite author of mine.
    • 4/5
      The Glass Kitchen: A Novel of Sisters by Linda Francis Lee is a sweet tale about three sisters, the magic of knowing, and romance. Olivia, Cordelia, and Portia are the three Cuthcart sisters who live in Willow Creek, Texas. Portia was seven years old when she has her first experience with the “knowing”. Portia can predict what someone will want, need, or how to help them with food. She inherited the gift from her grandmother. Portia’s grandmother took her into the kitchen of the restaurant, The Glass Kitchen. The restaurant had been passed down from generation to generation.One day Portia envisioned a special meal for her grandmother. That meal changed Portia life. It sent her down the wrong path. Portia married Robert Baleau a lawyer and local politician. Robert wanted Portia to be “normal” so Portia suppressed her gifts. After being married for a few years, Robert’s true colors came to light. The girls Great Aunt Evie was an actress living in New York City and the girls spent their summers with her growing up. She owned a town home on the Upper West Side that she converted into three apartments before her death. One apartment for each girl. Cordelia and Olivia sold their apartments to Garbriel Kane. Portia’s husband wanted her to sell, but she refused. After her divorce Portia goes to New York City to start over.Gabriel Kane’s wife passed away in an auto accident and he has moved his family from Montclair, New Jersey to the home in New York City. Miranda is a teenager who is acting out. Ariel is 12 (almost 13 as she likes to remind everyone) and has decided that her father needs a girlfriend. Ariel thinks he needs to focus his attentions on someone other the girls. Gabriel was always busy with business before his wife passed away. He is determined to be a part of the girl’s lives. However, Portia irritates and fascinates Gabriel.Portia has to decide what to do with her future. As she starts to embrace her gift again, the future becomes clear to her. But what will become of Gabriel and Portia? Gabriel is hiding something.There is also a mystery involving Garbriel’s brother, Anthony. It will provide a great twist near the end of the book. The story also shows us a little about the lives of Olivia and Cordelia. I give The Glass Kitchen 4 out of 5 stars. It is a sweet romance story with a touch of magic and whimsy. It follows the normal romance formula: boy meets girl, girl and boy are attracted to each other, they fall in love, they have an argument, and then they eventually get back together again. However, I like the addition of the sisters, Ariel, and the magic element. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley (and St. Martin’s Press) in exchange for an honest review.
    • 1/5
      Copy I read was from my local public library.From the publisher's blurb: "The Glass Kitchen is a delicious novel, a tempestuous story of a woman washed up on the shores of Manhattan who discovers that a kitchen—like an island—can be a refuge, if only she has the courage to give in to the pull of love, the power of forgiveness, and accept the complications of what it means to be family."This was a disappointing read.Portia does not "give into the pull of love." She lets herself be manipulated by Gabriel, a control freak who doles out his kisses, caresses, and rare smiles as if he is rewarding an obedient child. It's like a bad 1950s movie where the man knows what the woman wants and he'll give it to her when he's darn good and ready and if she questions it, he'll pick her up, toss her over his shoulder, and carry her off.All the glorious descriptions of food (and the food does sound good) can not cure the sick-to-my stomach feeling I got every time this jerk came near her. By the time I finished the book I had no desire to look at the recipes thoughtfully included at the end. The forgiveness part of the blurb is accurate. This woman forgives alright, she forgives way too much: her lover's commandeering ways, his lies and deception, his total lack of understanding of his two daughters. She also forgives a major betrayal by one of her sisters. She is even pushed around by her own "gift," a sort of paranormal intuition to know ahead of time just which foods to prepare for potential diners.There is a story here, other than the yucky "romance." It concerns the reasons for the animosity between Gabriel and his brother, which partly explains why Gabriel and his daughters have such a messed up relationship. I wish that story line had been better developed.Twelve year old Ariel, the younger of Gabriel's daughters, is seeing a psychiatrist. Frankly, everyone in this book should be in therapy. ( Both sets of sisters have Shakespearean names. Portia's sisters are Cordelia and Olivia; Ariel's sister is Miranda. The Shakespeare play that came to my mind while I was reading this book was The Taming of the Shrew. We get the feeling at the end of that play that Katherine can hold her own with Petruchio. I not as optimistic about Portia in The Glass Kitchen.) I wish I had not started this book, let alone finished it.
    • 5/5
      There is a reason I don't rate many books five stars. It's so that when a book like this comes along, I can show it stands out. This is a story of damaged people coming together to help each other heal. Heartwarming, sweet and well told.
    • 4/5
      From the time she was a young girl, Portia Cuthcart loved cooking with her grandmother. Her grandmother had a special touch, knowing exactly what to cook to make someone feel good before they even know that they needed it. Portia inherited that unique talent.Portia was happy living in Texas with her husband, a politician, until the day she discovered her was sleeping with her best friend. Distraught, divorced and with no money, she headed to New York City to the garden apartment her aunt left her.Her sisters Cordelia and Olivia lived in New York as well, so Portia had a support system there. She discovered that the man who bought out Cordelia's and Olivia's apartments in her aunt's building also wanted to buy hers, but she did not want to sell.Gabriel is a Wall Street big money man, a widower with a two daughters. He is brooding and pushy and sexy, and he wants Portia to sell him her apartment, which Portia refuses to do. You can probably guess where this is heading.Running low on funds, Portia decides to open a restaurant with her sisters called The Glass Kitchen. Portia works her food magic, cooking dishes that come to her. She begins by selling them out of her garden apartment home, until the health department shuts her down.Gabriel hires Portia to cook for his family, and she becomes close to his younger daughter Ariel, who misses her mother terribly and was in the car when her mother had the fatal car accident. Ariel is looking for answers to questions about her mother.The descriptions of food in The Glass Kitchen will drive you into your own kitchen to recreate the recipes that Lee has helpfully put in the end of the book. You can create an entire six course meal with the recipes for Crab and Sweet Corn Chowder and Fried Chicken with Sweet Jalapeno Mustard, making this a good book for a book club meal.The Glass Kitchen has some very hot sex scenes, great descriptions of food, a terrific sister relationship and some memorable characters (the elderly neighbor couple were my favorite). It's a wonderful book to while away a Sunday afternoon and then create a delicious Sunday dinner. (And the cover art is absolutely irresistible.)
    • 4/5
      "Every kitchen should be filled with glass, to drink from, to see through, to reflect the light of a wonderful meal prepared with love." I just loved the magical prospects of this book and although it was a tiny bit overdone at the end it was an enjoyable book to read and an addition of some good recipes at the end.