From the bestselling author of The Chilbury Ladiesโ Choir comes an unforgettable novel of a BBC-sponsored wartime cooking competition and the four women who enter for a chance to better their lives.
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY GOOD HOUSEKEEPING โข โThis story had me so hooked, I literally couldnโt put it down.โโNPR
Two years into World War II, Britain is feeling her losses: The Nazis have won battles, the Blitz has destroyed cities, and U-boats have cut off the supply of food. In an effort to help housewives with food rationing, a BBC radio program called The Kitchen Front is holding a cooking contestโand the grand prize is a job as the programโs first-ever female co-host. For four very different women, winning the competition would present a crucial chance to change their lives.
For a young widow, itโs a chance to pay off her husbandโs debts and keep a roof over her childrenโs heads. For a kitchen maid, itโs a chance to leave servitude and find freedom. For a lady of the manor, itโs a chance to escape her wealthy husbandโs increasingly hostile behavior. And for a trained chef, itโs a chance to challenge the men at the top of her profession.
These four women are giving the competition their allโeven if that sometimes means bending the rules. But with so much at stake, will the contest that aims to bring the community together only serve to break it apart?