A magical cookbook and a summer on her family’s Italian olive farm help a brokenhearted social media chef cook up a satisfying new life in this delectable novel from the bestselling author of Recipe for a Charmed Life.
Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Rachel Linden’s The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake, which releases on September 30th 2025.
Rising star Jules Costa loves re-creating vintage recipes for her popular online cooking show. But when personal and professional disaster strikes, her only chance to save her career is to complete her new cookbook before the end of the summer. Panicked, Jules returns to her family’s beloved olive farm on the shores of Italy’s stunning Lake Garda. Seeking culinary inspiration, she’s hoping to convince her spunky eighty-year-old Nonna Bruna to share her precious collection of family recipes.
Jules’s plans quickly go awry as she discovers that Nonna’s cookbook has magical and unpredictable powers. It reveals only one recipe at a time, offering a cooking experience guaranteed to satisfy the chef’s palate and bring clarity to their life. Yet the pages remain stubbornly blank for Jules. To make matters worse, the olive farm is in deep financial trouble, and Jules soon uncovers a web of family secrets involving the cookbook and a lost recipe for orange blossom cake that holds the key to everything. Then there’s Nicolo, the boy next door, who broke her young heart years ago. He is now all grown up, even more attractive, and the only person poised to help Jules find answers.
In a whirlwind summer beyond her imagination, Jules begins to unravel the mysteries baked into her family’s history and discovers the essential ingredients to create the future of her dreams.
“Drew, there is no show without you,” I point out.
His face falls and he nods. He knows it’s true. “You can’t give up, Jules,” he urges. “You’re really good at this. You’re smart and super cute. You’ve got a great sense of style. You sparkle on camera and you’re kind. People love you. They . . . they feel understood, like you care about them, even when they’ve never met you. So maybe these bonehead producers don’t want you. Someone else will. You just have to show them who you are.” He looks at me pleadingly. Easy words for someone who’s just been given his dream job.
“And how would I do that?” I challenge. “If you say yes to Keith and move to LA, I have no show and no way to prove anything.”
Drew worries his lip, thinking. I can tell he wants to make this better, but there is no way to do that now, not unless he says no to Keith, and I would never ask that of him. This is his chance to live his dream. I’m hurt he didn’t tell me, but it’s not his fault the producers don’t want me or the show. I’m just not what they’re looking for and Drew is. It’s the hard, sad truth.
“What about the cookbook?” Drew asks suddenly, face brightening.
“What about it?” I squint at him in confusion. Six months ago I signed a cookbook deal with a boutique publisher in New York for a The Bygone Kitchen cookbook of my favorite recipes. The deal was a longtime dream of mine come true. A few months ago I sent them samples of vintage recipes, all ones I’ve used on The Bygone Kitchen. Now I’m waiting to hear back about what they think so far.
“That’s how you get noticed,” Drew enthuses. “You already have the contract. That’s going to get you some good publicity, get your name out there. Think about all the famous TV chefs with cook‑ books. Giada. Gordon Ramsay. Your secret chef crush, Nigella.” He ticks off all the celebrity chefs I like to binge‑watch on rainy nights when we’re staying in. He seems genuinely excited by this idea. “The cookbook is how you can prove to Keith and the producers that you and the show are more popular than they think. All they care about is numbers anyway. If you can prove you’ve got a bigger audience, if you could get your numbers up and get some buzz around the cook‑ book, I bet it would make them take notice.”
I hesitate, turning the notion over in my mind. Could a successful cookbook really generate enough publicity to make Keith re‑ think turning The Bygone Kitchen into a show? Frankly, it seems like a long shot, but I want it to be true so badly.
“Even if that were true and Keith changed his mind,” I challenge, “you’re half the show. I can’t do it alone.”
Drew frowns his thinking frown. It’s raining a little harder now, droplets beading on the shining blond of his hair, dappling my fore‑ head and bare arms.
“This show with Desiree is just a limited six‑episode series,” Drew says slowly. “If people like it, Keith says the network will renew it for more episodes. But even if it gets picked up for another season, we won’t be filming all the time. It’s a few months of filming and then some off time. Maybe if things went well I could . . . do both?” He sounds hopeful and hesitant. “It’s worth a shot, right? You shouldn’t give up on the show, Jules. Not when you’ve come this far. It’s your dream. At least see if you can turn this cookbook into something.”
At Drew’s words, my heart gives a little sputter of life. Is it possible that we could still find a way to make this work? My head is spinning with questions and possibilities. I’m afraid to hope too hard. And yet . . . and yet . . . if there’s a chance, isn’t it worth a try? What have I got to lose?
“I’ll think about it,” I tell Drew. I need a hot bath and a strong espresso with two cubes of sugar and space to process this roller coaster of an evening. I need to think this through carefully and make a plan. I love a good plan. Drew hesitates, clearly torn.
“I’ll see you later.” I start down the sidewalk, soggy leather squelching with every step. “Go talk to Keith,” I call over my shoulder. A couple skirts me, side‑eyeing my wet, bedraggled appearance. My hair is now plastered to my forehead and I’m starting to shiver, but I am also feeling a small stirring of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I can redeem this night.
“Am I forgiven?” Drew yells after me.
“Not even close,” I yell back. “But if this works and we actually save the show, I’ll consider us even.” Then I turn in the direction of our apartment. I have an early shift at Trader Joe’s in the morning and a lot of strategizing to do before then.
