About the story: In 2022, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher unveiled her deliciously
compelling new book, The Sweet Life, the first book in the Cape
Cod Creamery series. In Fisher’s sophomore novel, The Secret to
Happiness, Fisher introduces readers to executive chef Callie Dixon, who is
recovering from a major setback in her well-planned life. Desperately in need
of some soul searching, she ends up at a small ice cream shop on Cape Cod. It takes
the charm of a young boy to help her find the answers she’s looking for—and
maybe the secret to happiness. Callie Dixon had the world by its tail . . .
until it all slipped away. Fired from her dream job after making a colossal mistake,
she’s escaped to her aunt’s home on Cape Cod for time to bounce back. Except it
isn’t a home, it’s an ice cream shop. And time isn’t going to help, because
Callie’s bounce has up and left. There’s a reason she made that mistake at work
and she’s struggling to come to terms with it.
Things
go from bad to worse when Callie’s cousin Dawn drags her to a community class
about the secret to happiness. Happiness is the last thing Callie wants to
think about right now, but instructor Bruno Bianco—a curiously gloomy fellow—is
relentless. He has a way of turning Callie’s thoughts upside down. Her
feelings, too.
Could Bruno be right
when he says that hitting rock bottom is the very best place to be? If so, how
is that supposed to help her find exactly what—or who—has been missing all
along?
Can you please provide a brief summary of your
novel, The Secret to Happiness? Callie Dixon arrives at the
Main Street Creamery for a short visit with her relatives. Just to get her
bounce back, she says, while she’s in-between jobs. To Marnie’s and Dawn’s distress,
Callie heads straight to bed and stays there. Turns out her bounce has up and
left.
Callie
Dixon is an executive chef until a colossal mistake upends her “perfect” world.
Can you offer a hint of what might have happened at her former job? I
borrowed a real-life situation for Callie. During an actual Food Safety
Conference, a sauce for chicken was accidentally left out overnight and served
to attendees the next day. Hundreds got sick. Such irony! That scenario had to
go into a novel.
Why
did Callie choose to relocate to Cape Cod? Actually, I think
Cape Cod chose Callie.
Although Callie’s life has gone through a major upheaval, she is resistant to going to a community class about the secret to happiness. How does this class make an impact on her life? While Callie didn’t know what to think about the Secret to Happiness class, she definitely didn’t expect a gloomy instructor. Although Bruno Bianco had written a book on the topic, he never smiled. Never joked, never laughed. Happiness, it seemed, was serious business.
Your
male protagonist, Bruno Bianco, told Callie, “Hitting rock bottom may be the
very best place to be.” What did he mean by this statement? Bruno
might be gloomy (he would say “somber”), but he has tremendous insights about
what it would take to live a fulfilled, contented life. Readers will enjoy
discovering how he ended up studying and teaching on the topic of happiness.
Let’s just say it has something to do with hitting rock bottom.
What other life lessons can readers gain from
reading The Secret to Happiness? Here’s the biggest one
Callie learned: Who or what is telling her story? Once she realized what she’d
been letting define her, she was ready to grab hold of her life.
What inspired the idea for this series? My husband’s passion for ice cream making. Like Dawn
and Marnie Dixon, he attended Penn State’s Ice Cream School. My editor, after
sampling my husband’s ice cream, and told me she wanted a series that would
include ice cream. I took that suggestion and ran with it!
What
do you love most about writing contemporary romance novels? Creating
relevant love stories with characters who are committed to hanging in there and
working things out. Like Dawn Dixon and her mother, Marnie. I enjoy writing
from the eyes of a modern millennial, then bouncing back to the point of view
of a middle-aged-ish character. After all, love doesn’t have an
expiration date.
What
are you working on next? Next fall, Lost and Found will
release. It’s a story about a young man in love, caught between two sisters.
How can readers connect with you? My
website is the place to find me: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.
Thank you, Suzanne, for
sharing this new book with us. I’ve loved every book of yours I’ve read.
Readers, here’s a
link to the book.
Leave a comment
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11 comments:
This sounds like a fun book. I read and loved The Sweet Life. Thanks for the lovely spotlight and chance to win!
Winnie T. from Utah
The secret to happiness is when Publix,
our local grocery store has a BOGO,
Buy One, Get One, on their brand of
Ice Cream.
When they do, I stock up.
Thank you for entering me in your giveaway.
Janet E.
Florida
I didn't mean to enter twice.
My computer does that to me
sometimes and today is the day.
Janet E.
Florida
I learned many new things about ice cream when I read the first book about Dawn. I'm excited to read The Secret of Happiness! :)
Elizabeth L
Maryland
My secret to happiness is a big bowl of ice cream and a new Suzanne Woods Fisher book!
Connie from Kentucky
cps1950atgmaildotcom
This sounds like a fun book. I love ice cream. My mother wasn't a baker, but we always had ice cream on hand. I am a baker, and almost everything tastes better with ice cream.
Connie Lewis Leonard
Texas
Brenda from Mississippi. I would love to read this book. I love Suzanne Woods Fisher’s books.
Suzanne Woods Fisher's books are always good. I'd love to read this. I love ice cream. It does make me happy. lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
Nichols SC.
Sounds like a great book! I like that it involves a culinary theme. Cherie J from Florida.
Suzanne Woods Fisher is such a good author plus I love ice cream so this is the book for me!
Beth from IA
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