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Former library book. Plastic dust cover, blacked out bar code on front/back, library identifiers, stamps, stickers, remainder marks on bindings/inside covers. Has a sturdy binding with some shelf wear. A lightly used, well cared for book. Former library book. Plastic dust cover, blacked out bar code on front/back, library identifiers, stamps, stickers, remainder marks on bindings/inside covers. Has a sturdy binding with some shelf wear. A lightly used, well cared for book. See less
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Susan Bishop Crispell
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The Secret Ingredient of Wishes: A Novel Hardcover – September 6, 2016

by Susan Bishop Crispell (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 473 ratings
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26-year-old Rachel Monroe has spent her whole life trying to keep a very unusual secret: she can make wishes come true. And sometimes the consequences are disastrous. So when Rachel accidentally grants an outlandish wish for the first time in years, she decides it’s time to leave her hometown―and her past―behind for good.

Rachel isn’t on the road long before she runs out of gas in a town that’s not on her map: Nowhere, North Carolina―also known as the town of “Lost and Found.” In Nowhere, Rachel is taken in by a spit-fire old woman, Catch, who possesses a strange gift of her own: she can bind secrets by baking them into pies. Rachel also meets Catch’s neighbor, Ashe, a Southern gentleman with a complicated past, who makes her want to believe in happily-ever-after for the first time in her life.

As she settles into the small town, Rachel hopes her own secrets will stay hidden, but wishes start piling up everywhere Rachel goes. When the consequences threaten to ruin everything she’s begun to build in Nowhere, Rachel must come to terms with who she is and what she can do, or risk losing the people she’s starting to love―and her chance at happiness―all over again.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    304 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Thomas Dunne Books
  4. Publication date
    September 6, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    6.43 x 1.14 x 9.57 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1250089093
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1250089090
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"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 romantic confection of pies, wishes, and a spoonful of magic. A delectable read."
--Shelley Noble, New York Times-bestselling author of Whisper Beach

"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 truly enchanting tale. One to cherish."
--Menna van Praag, author of The Dress Shop of Dreams

About the Author

SUSAN BISHOP CRISPELL earned a BFA in creative writing from the University of North Carolina – Wilmington. Susan lives and writes near Wilmington, NC with her husband and their two literary-named cats.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Dunne Books (September 6, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250089093
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250089090
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.43 x 1.14 x 9.57 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 473 ratings

About the author

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Susan Bishop Crispell

Susan Bishop Crispell

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Susan Bishop Crispell earned a BFA in creative writing from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Born and raised in the mountains of Tennessee, she now lives twenty minutes from the beach in North Carolina with her husband and their two cats, Whisky and Orkney. She is very fond of baked goods and is always on the lookout for hints of magic in the real world. Susan is the author of women's fiction novels The Secret Ingredient of Wishes (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press) and Dreaming in Chocolate (St. Martin's Griffin), which was selected as a SIBA Okra pick Winter 2018, and the upcoming young adult novel The Holloway Girls (June 2022, Sourcebooks Fire).

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
473 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

TheDishBoston
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this book. I've read the author's other stories, and this one was equally wonderful. I always love stories with a touch of magic! :-)
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Ana G
4.0 out of 5 stars Magical story
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2022
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I liked this one. I liked seeing Rachel find the place where she belonged. I loved the magic in this book, from the pies and wishes to the town itself. This was a good one.
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Ginger K
3.0 out of 5 stars Lyrical writing, but plotting issues
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2022
Verified Purchase
I like magical realism and have a few authors I follow. The author's writing style often made me smile with her use of metaphor.
That said, I was annoyed by many fainting spells by the heroine, we are past the age of women fainting because of corsets.
The ending was incomplete and rushed. The book failed to build a sense of expectation and suspense.
I might read another of the author's books, but I am not feeling compelled to haunt her book list at this time.
One person found this helpful
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Swolf
5.0 out of 5 stars A Sweet Escape
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2017
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This book was such a sweet escape for me. Pun not originally intended but it totally fits with all the mouthwatering pies! The characters are all flawed enough to be be real but nice enough to remind me there are good people in this world. Even though the main character, Rachel, has magical powers, she is pretty relatable with her desires to start anew, her hesitation to fall in love (with a married man at that!) and her empathy for friends both old and new. And, really, who hasn't silently wished a sibling out of existence? Highly recommend for anyone wanting to get lost in a delightful story in a charming fictional town. Looking forward to the next book release by this author.
One person found this helpful
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Gigi Griffis
4.0 out of 5 stars Charming!
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2017
Verified Purchase
So charming!

THE SECRET INGREDIENT OF WISHES is a book about a woman who has a secret gift: the ability to grant wishes. In her childhood, though, that gift goes terribly wrong, leaving her afraid of her own ability and alone in the world. When she accidentally grants a wish by her best friend's child, she decides to leave town and finds herself in a magical place called Nowhere, where she's adopted by Catch--the town's magical baker--who says she has a habit of taking in strays. So begins a journey toward understanding herself, embracing her gift, and finding the family she lost.

The book was a lovely read - well written, with gorgeous magical moments and lots of southern charm.
5 people found this helpful
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ls_reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Truly A Heartwarming Read
Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2017
Verified Purchase
This was truly a heartwarming read. I am a fan of Sarah Addison Allen, and this book was right up the same alley.

The no-nonsense, magical pie-baking Catch was one of my favorite characters in the story. I was rooting for Rachel the whole time, and had a great time watching Rachel find her footing, some new friends, and another thing or two during her stay in Nowhere, NC.

I liked the ending, and felt it was easy enough to infer the meaning of the events on the final pages. I closed the back cover having very much enjoyed the journey.

Reader be warned, you will probably crave pie while reading this book!
2 people found this helpful
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Wineelf
5.0 out of 5 stars a great read
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2023
Verified Purchase
This was an interesting and surprising book. Really enjoyed--it was hard to put down.
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Kindle Customer123
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, not great
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2022
Verified Purchase
I had a hard time wanting to finish this book. Then, by the time I was getting to like it, everything got wrapped up and happily ever after. Not my favorite way to end a story.
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Top reviews from other countries

Sandra Lacey
5.0 out of 5 stars Magic is afoot
Reviewed in Australia on November 30, 2017
Verified Purchase
We all have a bit of magic in us...we just have to eat enough pie to find the wish or keep the secret. This is a lovely story, beautifully crafted. I’ll be reading more of this author.
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Janet
3.0 out of 5 stars Nice easy read
Reviewed in Australia on November 5, 2020
Verified Purchase
This was enjoyable. I loved the concept, but felt that the background story about her family was a bit disjointed. It seemed that it was going to have some darkness to it until she left her home. Then we entered a yummy gooey storyline. This new town is never fully explained, nor are the characters. It had such potential.
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