PositiveNPRWhen we first meet our contenders, it may seem obvious who we\'re supposed to root for. But as the story unfolds, Ryan peels back the layers of her main characters like an onion, revealing each to be multidimensional, flawed but compelling in her own way ... this is less a wartime version of Cutthroat Kitchen than what I think of as \'the sisterhood of the travelling pans:\' a heartwarming story of four women determined to make their own way in the world, who find unexpected friendship — and strength — in each other ... Though the story can at times dip into the treacly, Ryan knows how to keep the pace moving, with subplots involving a handsome, caddish chef, an abusive husband and a romance with a prisoner of war. The end result is a charming tale that will satiate a lot of different tastes: historical fiction lovers, cooking competition fans, anyone who revels in girl-power lit. There are even ration-era recipes for food history geeks like yours truly (though I can\'t say I\'m tempted to try whale meat pie anytime soon) ... Toss it all together and you\'ve got a comfort-food read I gobbled right up. It seems fitting that I finished reading the final pages while chopping celery for mirepoix in my kitchen — this story had me so hooked, I literally couldn\'t put it down to cook.
