The Secret Ingredient of Wishes
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Book Depository | Indie Bound
Apple Books | Google Play Books | Kobo
Rachel Monroe, 26, can make wishes come true just by thinking about them. But it’s a gift that has caused more harm than good. And after her mother’s death, which Rachel blames herself for, she decides it’s time to leave her hometown—and her past—behind.
But when Rachel gets stranded in small-town Nowhere, NC—also known as the town of “Lost and Found”—she realizes she can’t escape her past, or her gift. In Nowhere Rachel is taken in by a spit-fire old woman, Catch, who binds the townspeople’s secrets by baking them into pies, and who has an uncanny ability to see exactly what Rachel is trying to hide. She also meets Ashe, Catch’s neighbor with southern charm and a complicated past, who makes her want to believe in happily-ever-after.
As she settles into the small town, she hopes her own secrets will stay hidden—especially the one about how she wished her little brother out of existence when they were kids. But starting over is harder than she thought, and when her wish-granting secret is revealed, the town people’s wishes begin popping out of thin air everywhere she goes. Scared the wishes will go wrong like in the past, she tries to ignore them, which only makes the wishes more determined to get her attention. Then when Rachel is forced to confront the truth about her brother, she must accept her magical ability or risk losing those she has come to love—and a chance at happiness—all over again.
What People Are Saying...
"Susan Bishop Crispell has created a magical world where secrets are baked into pies, wishes do come true, and second chances are possible. Sarah Addison Allen fans will flock to Crispell's charming novel, leaving the last page as satisfied as they would after a slice of homemade peach pie." — Karma Brown, author of Come Away with Me
"A romantic confection of pies, wishes, and a spoonful of magic. A delectable read." — Shelley Noble, New York Times-bestselling author of Whisper Beach
"The fervent wishes and life-changing secrets at the heart of Crispell's magical tale are as addictive as the mysterious Catch's strawberry pie. I adored this story of romance and friendship, heartache and healing, and the transformative power of hope." — Loretta Nyhan, author of I'll Be Seeing You and All the Good Parts
"Susan Bishop Crispell delivers a page-turning and moving story of family, love, and second chances complete with touches of humor and heartache. If you don't already believe in magic, you will, when you arrive in Nowhere, North Carolina along with Rachel Monroe, meet the town's charismatic residents, and learn everyone's secrets, hopes, and deepest fears. Fans of Sarah Addison Allen will delight in this bright new voice in romantic magical realism. I know I did!" — Amy Sue Nathan, author of The Good Neighbor and The Glass Wives
“This is a lovely lark of a novel filled with imagination and energy. The warm characters, in the most engaging way, learn that you must be careful for what you wish for or live with the consequences.” — Ann Garvin, author of I Like You Just Fine When You’re Not Around and The Dog Year
"A magical, tenderly-told story about one woman’s journey to embrace a gift she has always feared as she confronts a past she cannot quite remember. A lyrical and imaginative read about the redemptive power of self-acceptance in the wake of heartbreak, and the ways in which new love can blossom even in the darkest, most hidden corners of the human heart." — Ilie Ruby, author of The Language of Trees
"How I loved this warm hug of a novel about what it means to get what you want most--and how to figure out what that really is." — Melissa Senate, author of See Jane Date and The Love Goddess' Cooking School
"A truly enchanting tale. One to cherish." — Menna van Praag, author of The Dress Shop of Dreams
